Price For Power
by Mookamori
Summary: COMPLETE! A freak accident finishes what Satan Aoi started, and now IT needs a host! It has eyes for the Taichou, and eventually, hell breaks loose as another war begins! But this time, it's personal! 13 chapters and an epilogue! R&R, minna!
1. After The Wars

1. After The Wars

            "There, done."

            Ohgami Ichiro finally finished stapling together the last documents of paperwork.  He had been working non-stop since the workload was delivered to him.  Most of it only needed his signature, while the others needed serious consideration.  Nevertheless, being the hardworking ensign that he was, he read through each and every document given to him, and signed those which will do good the most.

            He sighed and stretched his arms, leaning on his comfy chair.  He had to admit, he had never been so bored out of his skull in his entire life.  He was trained to be a top Navy officer, not as a pencil jockey.  Yet, in the past weeks, that was all that he had been doing.

            Yet, even before those weeks, his life was filled with danger, uncertainty, and, though he'd never say it in front of anybody, excitement.  Those past months were a constant adrenaline rush for the young officer, always locked in constant battle with the Wakiji, demonic robots, not to mention the climactic showdown with Shinnosuke Yamazaki, the mastermind behind the Wakiji attacks, and his three subordinates, Setsuna, Rasetsu, and Kurenai Miroku.

            But that was all behind him now.  He was living now a living in a time of peace.  Though peace was what most people would prefer, Ohgami was getting rather tired of it.  He missed the fighting.

            Not only that, he missed fighting alongside the Hanagumi, a team of six women who were led by Ohgami.  All were excellent in terms of fighting ability and, though he found it odd at first, acting.  Not only were they soldiers, but they were also actresses on the stage.  It was believed, and proven time and time again, that through acting, they were able to increase their spiritual power, which extremely helped in the field of battle, as it fueled their attacks.  Not that they just acted; they were excellent actresses, in all kinds of parts and plays.

            He sighed again, and after placing all the documents under a paperweight, he went out of his office to take a small walk around the theater house called the Teigeki, which served not only as a place to stage their plays, but also as their base of operations. It was a vast building, made up of three floors and all sorts of rooms, including the theater, the kitchen, and the dorms for the Hanagumi.

            He strayed along the various corridors and rooms of the Teigeki, finding them empty.  Even the kitchen was empty, so for some food, he had to resort to some instant noodles. 

            But it was still weird.  Where was everybody?

            He walked around more, slurping up some noodles.  Then it hit him, as he reached the parlor, where the Hanagumi usually stayed for pleasant conversation.

            "Yes, I forgot," he muttered, slapping his forehead, "They all went out.  I sent them out.  Stretch their legs for a while.  So, I'm alone in the Teigeki for a while, huh?"

            He recently sent the remaining Hanagumi, namely Sakura Shinguji, Maria Tachibana, Kanna Kirishima, and Iris, for a well-deserved break.  They had been training vigorously just a few hours ago.  Sumire Kanzaki was back home, however, and Ri Kohran went on a small trip to the Hanayashiki branch to help in the Kobu repairs.  The Teigeki's Kobu maintenance facility was still under repairs, due to Yamazaki's siege.

            So, he was alone.  Might as well give them a call, to check up on them.

            He went to the commander's, Ikki Yoneda's, office and found it empty.  He then remembered that he went with Major Ayame Fujieda to a Wise Men meeting, and said they might be gone until tomorrow.

He picked up the phone.  Dialing the number of Maria's phone (he asked the commander to give the assistant captain a phone), he waited for them to pick up.

            "Hello?" A small voice greeted.  The voice was unmistakably Iris'.

            "Hello, Iris!  How are you?"  Ohgami greeted.  He was always happy to hear Iris' voice.

            "Oh!  Hello, Onii-chan!" she said, her voice instantly becoming exuberant, "Hello!"

            "How are you?" Ohgami repeated.

            "Oh, we're fine!" She said.  She sounded really happy, "Everybody went on the roller coaster.  Iris is staying here because she is too young.  Iris is holding Maria's phone for safekeeping.  But, onii-chan, Iris never expected you to call!"

            "Heh, probably because I'm getting a bit lonely, but don't worry," Ohgami quickly added, noticing Iris' whimper, "I'm alright.  I want you and everybody to have fun, ok?"

            "Ok…oh!  Here they come…Maria! Kanna!  Onii-chan is on the phone!" Iris said, then her tiny voice suddenly changed into the loud, lively voice of Kanna Kirishima, resident brawler from Okinawa.

            "Hey, Taichou!  How are ya!  Feelin' lonely, aren't cha?  That's why yer callin'!" Kanna bombarded, so loud that Ohgami had to move the phone from his ear.

            "Hehehe, it's kinda like that, Kanna.  How was the roller coaster?  Iris told me."

            "It was INTENSE!  Woo-hooo!!!  Even Maria screamed!  A LOT!  Hehehe, don't look so shocked, Maria!  The Taichou doesn't mind!  Yo, Taichou!  Sakura's not here by the way.  She suddenly looked kinda green and wanted to go to the bathroom.  Dunno why, though…"

            Knowing Sakura, she was probably feeling sick.  Ohgami had to laugh.

            "Sounds like you're having fun!"

            "Oh YEAH!  Wish you were here, Taichou!  Wait a minute, Maria wants to talk to ya…wait a sec," Kanna's voice faded away, and was replaced by the somewhat quiet, sometimes lifeless voice of Maria Tachibana.

            "Taichou.  How are you?"  She asked, stern as always.

            "Me?  I called to check up on you guys!  But anyway, I'm ok.  I'm finished with the paperwork, by the way.  All I have to do now is to patrol."

            "Well, do your best then.  We're all doing all right here.  Iris is really happy with your idea, Taichou."

            "Glad to hear that."

            "And I did not scream a lot."

            Ohgami was somewhat startled to hear that.  "Well, Kanna had me really convinced.  Is Sakura there?"

            "Please wait…oh, there she is.  Sakura!  It's the Taichou.  He wants to talk to you."

            Maria's voice died down, and after a while, Sakura's timid, shy voice spoke, "Hullo?"

            "Sakura-kun!  Are you okay?  Kanna-san told me you got sick," Ohgami blurted out, almost all at once.

            "What?  Well, I'm ok now.  Thank you for asking," she said, her voice sounding somewhat apologetic.

            "How are you?  Having fun?"

            "Yes!  Very much!  Though I may have to lay off the roller coasters for a while…already saw my lunch…ugh, don't wanna talk about it."

            "Don't, then!  Well, I'm glad everybody's having fun.  I know all of you worked hard and you deserve this break.  Come back later for dinner, ok?  Don't be late, Sakura-kun."

            "Hai, Ohgami-san!  We'll bring you some souvenirs, ok?"

            "Thank you, Sakura-kun.  I'd like that."

            Then, for a quick moment, they just listened to each other's breathing.  Ohgami sort of liked it, but regained his senses all too quickly.

            "Er…Sakura-kun!"

"H-hai?" she said timidly.

            "Um, uh, see you later!"

            "H-Hai!  Bye!"

            Then she disconnected.  Ohgami turned off the phone and put it back in the commander's drawer.  He shut the office door behind him and shuffled back to his room to pick up his flashlight, his only companion in patrolling.

            "Ah, here we go," Ohgami muttered, and walked along the lonely corridors.

            Hours later, the girls returned with big smiles, lots of stories, and bags of souvenirs.  They found their Taichou drifting around the main hall like a ghost, waving his flashlight in front of him.

            "Oniiiii-chan!" Iris shouted rather happily, dropping everything she was bringing to give her "brother" a big hug.

            "Eh?  Oh, Iris!"  Ohgami blurted, finding a cute, blonde French girl tugging his shirt to get his attention.  He knelt down to allow her to hug her around his neck.

            "Onii-chan!  We brought you lots of gifts!" Iris said, smiling, after she nearly strangled him, which was strangely pleasant.

            "Arigato, minna," Ohgami said, bowing deeply to the four girls before him.

            "How are you, Ohgami-san?  I hope you weren't lonely," Sakura said, in her usual sweet voice.

            "Naah, I'm ok.  But we have to have something to EAT!  Kanna, Maria-san?" Ohgami asked.

            "Food won't be a problem," Maria blankly replied, "We have plenty.  We can cook, if you like."

            "Please!" Ohgami replied.

            "Well, Maria!  Let's go!  We have a feast to prepare!" Kanna said, guffawing all the way to the kitchen, with Maria silently following her.

            "Iris will help!" Iris volunteered, and followed, leaving Sakura and Ohgami in the main hall.

            "Well, I'm no good in cooking… Ohgami-san?"  Sakura asked.

            "Yes?"

            "Please help me bring the bags to the parlor.  If you like, we can wait for dinner there," Sakura said, and Ohgami quickly nodded.

            Sitting down on the comfortable couch, Ohgami eagerly looked at the white plastic bags placed on a table before him.  Sakura sat a few inches beside him, smiling.

            "Go on, open them," Sakura said, still smiling.

            Ohgami readily obeyed, and opened the bags carefully, not tearing the stapled plastic apart.  He was careful not to make a mess.

            "Oh, what's this…From Iris? Ah!  What a nice clock!  Let's see, another from Iris? A mini-Kobu!  Wow!  It's my model, too!  Can you see the two katanas?" Ohgami happily asked.

            "Yes.  Iris bought you a lot of things.  Well, keep going!" Sakura encouraged, and Ohgami was fueled for more.

            "Ah, this is great!  Um, what's this? From Kanna…a bag of goldfish!  And an aquarium!  Cool!  This must be from Maria…er, what's this?  A silver cross!  Ah, it's beautiful!  But I'm not Christian!  Ah, anyway, it's beautiful!  Eh, what's this…from Iris again!  A bag of candies!  Mmm, delicious!  Let's see, another one from Kanna… A SIDE OF BEEF!?  Whoa!  I didn't expect this!  Let's see…from Maria….ah, a necktie!  I need a change anyway…Oh, there's too much…Eh?  What's this?"

            It was a black and white picture of Maria, Kanna, Sakura and Iris by the carousel.  All were smiling and seemed to wave at him.   The picture was in a simple wooden frame.

            "Oh, it's beautiful!  Is this yours, Sakura-kun?"

            She was blushing furiously.  "H-hai," she timidly said, her hands and voice trembling as she spoke, "I didn't have much money…"

            "Oh, but it's great!"

            "Is it?  Is it really?  I was thinking that if you have this picture, anywhere you go, you'd have this to remember us by."

            "Eh?  I won't be going anywhere, but…thank you, Sakura-kun.  It's great!"  Ohgami thanked, smiling.

            "H-hai…" Sakura murmured, blushing even redder.

            "Sakura-kun?  Something wrong?"  Ohgami asked, placing a caring hand on her shoulder.  She instantly propped up at his touch, her face swiveling to look at his.

            And she gasped.

            Ohgami was looking straight at her, his dark black eyes penetrating deep into her azure eyes.  His handsome face had a concerned, yet confident expression, like it was saying, "You'll be alright."

            Sakura couldn't help blush even more.

            "Sakura-kun?"  Ohgami asked.  He was feeling a bit queasy.

            "Hai?"

            "Are you okay?"

            "Huh?  Oh, yes, I'll be fine.  There's no need to worry, Ohgami-san," Sakura quickly replied, brushing away Ohgami's hand.

            Ohgami, puzzled at her behavior, took the chance to look around.  No one seemed to be around.  They were alone in the room, or perhaps, in the whole floor.  Maria, Kanna, and Iris were downstairs.  Sakura and Ohgami were the only people on the floor.

_            This is it.  Nobody's here, just Sakura-kun and me.  No interruptions, please.  Just grit my teeth and do it._

            "Sakura-kun?" Ohgami blurted out.

            "H-hai?" Sakura replied, looking at him.  Some of the reddish color of her cheeks seems to have finally subsided.

            "Are-are you doing anything tomorrow night?"

            He was feeling queasy, his insides squirming.  His hands went clammy and his back was rigid.

            "Oh, well, no…I don't think so," Sakura replied.

            "Um…well," Ohgami muttered, scratching his cheek with one finger, "W-would it be p-possible for y-y-you to g-g-g-g…."

_            Dammit!  Concentrate!  Concentrate!!!  You've been rehearsing for hours__ for this moment!_

            "Huh?"

            "Dyouwangaouwimme?"

            It wasn't Japanese; it wasn't even a word.  Sakura stared at him in blank puzzlement.

            "Huh?"

            "Do you," Ohgami said, finally slowing down, "want to go out with me?"

            There, I said it!  Let's just hope for the best… 

            Sakura was just staring at him.  Her face was blank.  She looked like she was stunned.

            "Sakura-kun?"

            "I-I-I don't know what to say…this is the first time any boy's asked me out…" Sakura replied, feeling awkward.  Her head began to bow.

            "Please, just yes or no," Ohgami said.  He was oddly feeling brave.  But maybe it was because he was now desperate to know Sakura's answer.  

            Then steadily, she looked up into her jet black eyes with a smile on her face, and she said, "Hai!"

            It was incomprehensible.  "Huh?"

            "Hai!  Sure I'll go!  Of course I'll go!"

            "Huh?"

            "Ohgami-san, my answer is yes!"

            "Oh, it's all right.  I'll just have to move on and…WHAT?!"

            Smiling, Sakura nodded. 

            Then, suddenly, Ohgami launched himself into the air, his arms raised in victory.  He was laughing like a maniac, and Sakura couldn't help but laugh as well.

            "YES!  YES!" He was screaming continually, then calming down, he knelt down and clasped her hands, "Sakura-kun!  I'll make it a night you won't ever forget!  You'll be really happy, I promise!"

            "You better!" Sakura said, smiling, waving a finger.

            "Yes I will!  Really!  I will!  You can trust me!" 

            "Then, I'd better find a good dress to wear…"

            "Hai!  Yes, ma'am!  You won't be disappointed!"

            "Oniii-chaaan!"

            Iris's voice could be heard along the corridors of the Teigeki.  Sakura and Ohgami immediately shut up and moved to the opposite sides of the couch, both looking rather embarrassed.

            "Oniii-chaaan!  Sakura!  Dinner's ready!"  Iris said, entering the common room.

            "Oh, Iris," Sakura said, standing up and greeting her, "Ohgami-san liked your presents!"

            "Really, Onii-chan?  Did you really?" Iris gingerly asked.

            "Yeah!  Especially the mini-Kobu.  Thank you, Iris!" Ohgami said.  Iris blushed deeply.

            "Iris is so happy!"

            "Me too!  C'mon everybody, let's eat!!"  Ohgami said to Sakura and Iris, and bolted out.  

            Ohgami, as he walked, had a big smile on his face.  He had finally won a date with Sakura, and finally, Ohgami realized that the rest of his days wouldn't be as boring as he expected them to be.


	2. Morning Glory

2. Morning Glory

            "Sir, nothing to report, sir!  Peaceful as always, sir!" Ohgami recounted, as if there was something to recount.  Aside from the fact that Ohgami had won his best deal ever, a date with Sakura, it was something that he wasn't exactly going to report that the commander, who had just come back from his Wise Man meeting.

            Ikki Yoneda, a drunkard to say the least, took a swig of sake before replying, "Oh, is that so?  Must be pretty boring for a headstrong kid like yourself, eh, Ohgami-kun?"

            "H-hai," Ohgami replied sheepishly.  The commander can probably read his face.  Ohgami looked rather disappointed, like he was aching to say something like, "Sir, The Wakiji have obliterated half of the Imperial Capital," or something like that.

            "Well, we soldiers need rest sometimes, eh, Ohgami-kun?  You should be thankful that we have peaceful times like this," Yoneda said, taking another swig.

            "Yes, sir."

            "Well, you're dismiss—wait a minute, Ohgami-kun," Yoneda quickly said, looking at him sternly.

            "Sir?  Something wrong?" Ohgami replied.  He was feeling a bit worried.  Did the commander think that he was leaving something out?

            "Have you decided?" Yoneda replied, taking another swig.  He was looking at Ohgami at the corner of his eye.

            "Sir?" Ohgami had no idea what he was talking about.

            Yoneda chuckled a bit.  He said, "No need to be shy here. Ohgami, we're both capable men here."

            "Huh?" Ohgami still had no idea what Yoneda was talking about.

            "You don't know what I'm talking about?"

            "Sir, no, sir!"

            Yoneda looked infuriated, but seemed to have controlled himself.  He took a giant gulp, then said, "What, is it Kohran?  Maria? Kanna?  Sumire?  Sakura?  WHAT?!"

            "…"

            "So you do know what I'm talking about!" Yoneda looked triumphant.

            "Er…"

            "C'mon, tell me."

            "Sir," Ohgami started, feeling a bit awkward, "For your information…I've asked Sakura-kun to go out with me."

            "Ah, Sakura Shinguji.  She's beautiful, a bit naïve, but a kind and caring person nonetheless.  You've made a good choice, Ohgami-kun."

            "Yes, sir!" Ohgami felt relieved that they were on the same level.

            "BUT, Ohgami-kun…" He looked at him with stern, piercing eyes.

            "Sir?"  He was feeling nervous all of a sudden.

            "If you make Sakura-kun feel bad IN ANY WAY, Ohgami-kun, rest assured that I would make your life miserable.  Do you hear me?"  Yoneda warned, his voice serious and threatening.

            Ohgami had nothing to say, except show an expression of shock on his face.

            "I've promised her late father, Kazuma Shinguji, that I will take care of his daughter.  I intend to keep that promise."

            Feeling his nerves come back to life, he replied, "Sir!  I will die rather than make Sakura-kun feel bad, Sir!"

            "GOOD BOY!" Yoneda suddenly exclaimed, chortling like a maniac, "NOW GET OUT OF HERE!"

            Ohgami turned and bolted out of the room, hearing Yoneda's fading voice sing something about the energy of youth or something like that.  It didn't matter to Ohgami, though.  One thing was settled, and that was tonight would be a memorable evening.  No fights, no Wakiji, nothing.  

            Despite his determination to do well later in the evening, work had been surprisingly hard.  A new play had been announced, and work had to be done, like making posters and flyers and advertisements.  Cleanup, of course, wasn't forgiving.  The stage and the theater had to be sparkling clean.  Props, costumes and other things had to be done.  

            Though work was hard, his determination remained stable.  He was still resolute that he could make Sakura happy later in the evening in their date.  No, he wouldn't let her be disappointed just because Ohgami was too tired or something.  No, he'll fight all the odds and survive.

            "Ohgami-kun?"

            The captain almost burst through the ceiling when the major suddenly called out.  He was looking at himself on a mirror, psyching himself up.

            "M-m-m-major!"

            Ayame looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face.  "What's wrong with you?"

            Ohgami scratched his spiky-haired head, saying, "No, no, nothing's wrong!"

            She smiled slyly.  "Nervous about your evening with Sakura?"

            "Er…how did you know?"  Ohgami asked nervously.  He hadn't told anybody about it except the commander.

            "Yoneda-shihainin told me.  So, are you?"

            "No, ma'am!"  He lied.

            "Well, if you're so confident, I suppose you could run a little errand?  The Hanagumi are still busy practicing, and Yuri and the others are still making the posters."

            "Of course!"

            She handed him a small slip of paper, written on it was a list of what seemed to be parts for Kobu.  "The Hanayashiki branch needs these parts to complete repairs of the Kobu.  Delivery was supposed to go this morning but something seemed to hold them up.  Go to the docks and see what's up."

            "Ma'am, yes, ma'am!  I'll be back before you know it," Ohgami replied, bowed and then dashed out.

            He was on his way out when Iris called to him.  She found him almost at the door.

            "What is it, Iris?"

            "Where are you going?" she asked.

            "Got an errand to run.  A delivery of Kobu parts got held up and I'm sent to check out what's wrong," Ohgami replied, walking over to her.

            "May Iris come with you?"  She was smiling sweetly at him.

            "Huh?" Ohgami was a bit startled.  "Don't you have to practice for the play?"

            Iris shook her head, her blond hair swaying.  "No need!  Iris memorized all her lines already and Iris was given an early break."

            Ohgami couldn't help smiling as well.  "Good girl!  But you don't have to come.  It's probably very boring."

            "Iris doesn't mind!  If Iris can be with onii-chan, then Iris is okay!" she replied, smiling even more.

            At this point, Ohgami realized that reasoning with Iris, to convince her not to come with him, would probably be futile.  So, he just nodded and held out his hand, which Iris grasped gingerly.

            "All right, let's go then."

Iris wasn't the only one who did her part in the upcoming play excellently.  Sakura also tried to do her best today, giving out her lines with the proper emotions and tone.  She danced to the music fluidly, with seemingly no flaws whatsoever.  She also helped out in the costume and the poster making.  With all this, she was rewarded with an early break.

"All right!" she exclaimed, while climbing up the stairs, "So far, so good!  If this keeps up, and if I don't have any more interruptions, then everything will be all right!"

As she reached the second floor, she looked around.  No one seemed to be around, except for the commander, who was probably at his office, draining bottles of sake.  Then, content with her lookout, she bolted into her room and locked the door.

Inside, she closed the curtains, leaving a small gap to let some light through.  Then, going back to the door, she listened if anybody had followed her.  She heard no footsteps or any kind of sound outside.  Smiling, she left the door and went to her cabinet.

Inside the cabinet were her usual kimonos, her Hanagumi uniforms, and her various leotards used for dance practice.  Paying them no heed, she pushed them aside, their hangers clinking noisily.

And then, hidden behind her clothes, there it was.  Sakura could only gasp in joy.

It was a beautiful pink summer dress, whose length reached beyond Sakura's knees, and just above her feet.  It had four straps by the shoulders, two for each side.  It had a soft silky feel to it.  All in all, it made Sakura's heart jump happily as she clutched it tenderly, feeling its soft fabric against her skin.

"Ah…so beautiful…" She murmured.

Sighing in contentment, she hid her dress again behind the other clothes and shut the cabinet.

"Ohgami-san…" she murmured, and then jumped happily.

"I need to prepare!  So much to do!  Gotta take a bath first!"  She said happily.  She then opened the curtains, unlocked the door, and then bolted for the bathroom.

Unknown to her, Sumire Kanzaki, who had just come back from her vacation at home, was watching her intently, hidden in the next corridor.  She informed them that her top acting skills was needed for the play.  The production, of course, was eager to have Sumire back on stage, filling her in about everything she needed to know, but they didn't tell her about this.

"What is she up to?" she muttered.

At last, Ohgami and Iris reached the harbor.  Kasumi, who drove them in the Hanagumi's car, said, "I'll just wait here.  Take your time, ok?"

Ohgami nodded, "Thank you, Kasumi-kun.  Let's go, Iris!"

The French girl eagerly nodded, and stepped out.  Hand in hand, they casually walked over to the gates.

"Remember, Iris.  Stay close to me.  You won't like getting lost here," Ohgami sternly reminded her.  Iris nodded, and gripped his hand tighter.  Jean-Paul, her teddy bear, was also held closer.

They went over to the guardhouse, where a security guard stopped them from going further.

"Hey, restricted access.  Only authorized personnel around here," the guard monotonously droned.  It sounded like a recording, and Iris had to stifle a giggle.

Ohgami, however, kept his usual military stature, and saluted, saying, "I'm Ohgami Ichiro, of the Teikoku Kagekidan, Captain of the Hanagumi.  I was sent by Major Ayame Fujieda to see what's holding up the delivery of the Kobu parts."

"Ah, we've been expecting you," he said, then looked at Iris, "But the kid will have to stay here."

Ohgami replied, "No, it's ok.  Iris here is a member of the Hanagumi as well."

He was skeptical.  "No, really, the kid will have to stay here."  It was like he chose to ignore what Ohgami had just said.

The captain thought that this guy had been probably living under a rock for almost all his life.  Iris was particularly famous in the Imperial capital, known for her impeccable acting.  But this guy had probably never heard of her.

Ohgami knelt down and faced Iris at eye level.  She blushed a bit.

"Iris, show the guard what you can do."

Iris, understanding what Ohgami just said, happily nodded.  Ohgami stood up and watched as Iris tossed her teddy bear into the air.

The guard looked at her suspiciously.  Obviously, tossing dolls into the air was a skill not required by the Teikoku Kagekidan, which protected the Imperial capital.

Then, suddenly, Jean-Paul broke into a series of intense dance moves.  First, it was a tango, then a slow waltz, then a wild boogie, then finally, the teddy bear did some gymnastics.  Jean-Paul was instantly a dance expert, and teddy bears don't dance.

The bear slowly floated back into Iris' waiting hand, and she squeezed her beloved Jean-Paul affectionately.  "Very good, Jean-Paul!"

            Smiling, Ohgami faced the guard again.  "Now, can we get in?"

            The guard, awestruck, had to have a few moments before regaining composure.  "Huh?  Oh!  Please come in!"

            They passed the guard and made their way inside the harbor.  Warehouses flocked the concrete part of the docks, while ships, battle cruisers and cargo liners alike, were docked in the pier.  Crates of all sizes were stacked almost everywhere.  The ocean waves crashed into the piers.

            "Ah, the ocean!  How I miss those days where I would sail on a boat and just listen to the ocean's waves…" Ohgami mused, as he led Iris around.

            "Onii-chan was with the navy," Iris said.

            "Right!  But right after I graduated, I was transferred to the Hanagumi, promoted to Captain almost instantly!  Probably because I was able to control the fire with the on-board Kobu," Ohgami answered.

            "That's how Onii-chan got to be our Taichou," Iris replied.

            "Right…oh, here we are," Ohgami said, looking at the manager's office.  

            He briskly entered with Iris, bells chiming as they went in.  They met the manager.  A fat, burly man with a thick stick of tobacco stuck in his mouth, he smoked so hard the room was almost covered with smoke.

            "Iris, you better wait outside.  This smoke is unhealthy for you," Ohgami requested, kneeling down so that he was at eye level with Iris.

            "No, Iris better stay here with Onii-chan.  It's safer," Iris replied.

            "Ok, but if you feel sick, just go outside and get a breath of fresh air, ok?" Ohgami said, and Iris nodded.  Then, Ohgami faced the manager, who was looking rather impatient.

            "Whaddaya want?"

            "I'm Ohgami Ichiro of the Teikoku Kagekidan.  I was sent here to find out why the delivery of the Kobu parts was delayed," Ohgami replied.

            "Is that it?  Then, yer late.  The problem's already handled.  The shipment's on its way," the manager replied, inhaling more smoke.

            "Is that so?  What was the problem, then?" Ohgami asked.  He was already squinting since the smoke irritated his eyes.

            "Why doncha ask the pretty girl with glasses just outside?  She came from Hanayashiki.  She can tell you more than I can," the manager said, blowing smoke rings.

            "All right, then, thanks," Ohgami replied, bowing.  Then he left the office.

            Iris coughed a bit.  "Oh, Iris feels a bit sick."

            "I told you should have waited outside.  Breath deeply, now," Ohgami said, and Iris obliged, taking in deep breaths.

            "Ah!  Ohgami-han!  Iris!"

            Ohgami turned to see Ri Kohran, resident Kobu expert and mechanic, running towards them.  Her purple braided hair, along with her face and the rest of her overalls, was covered with soot.  Her glasses were gray with dust.

            "Kohran!  What are you doing here?" Ohgami asked, gently patting Iris' back.

            "I was sent here to check up what's holding up the shipment, ya!  Problem's solved already, though!" She replied, in her usual Kansai accent.

            "What's the problem, then?"

            "You won't believe me, but it was a Wakiji!" 

            Ohgami gasped.  "WAKIJI?!  I thought all Wakiji were destroyed when Yamazaki was defeated!"  

            Kohran winced when Ohgami said "Yamazaki."  Then suddenly, Ohgami remembered.  Yamazaki was Kohran's "mentor," and she deeply admired him for his work on the Kobu.  She kept all his work and studied it until she replicated it into the Kobus the Hanagumi currently use.   Kohran thought him to be a kind and caring person to develop such armor, and she was deeply shocked when she found out that he was their enemy.

            "Kohran, sorry.  I…ah."  Ohgami was at a loss for words.  He was tactless at best.

            "No, no, it's ok!  Well, anyway, there was this lone Wakiji on its way to the fifth sealing rock!  It just so happened that it was right smack in the way of the usual delivery route!  But it's okay now.  We were able to handle it," Kohran replied.

            "Oh, so you fought it, too?"

            "Yeah!  I brought my Kobu along, just in case.  But one of us accidentally fired a rocket at it when it was already defeated.  KABOOM!" Kohran threw up her arms, portraying the explosion, "Wakiji guts and blood everywhere, ya!

            "But it was defeated?  No more Wakiji?" Ohgami blurted out.

            "Yeah!  Don't worry, don't worry!"

            Ohgami heaved a sigh of relief.  "Well, that's good.  I thought we had another crisis on our hands."

            "Well, I have to go back now.  I've got to finish repairs!  I'll come back tomorrow with the Kobus!  Please tell everybody that I'm still joining the play.  See ya soon, Ohgami-han, Iris!"

            Waving with a big smile on her face, she ran off to one of the warehouses, where most of the crates around were being shipped.

            Ohgami faced Iris again, who had regained her usual breathing.  "Well, that's a relief.  Let's go home, Iris."

            She nodded eagerly.  "Hai!  Onii-chan has a big date with Sakura tonight!"

            "EH?!"  Ohgami was beyond shock.  "How-how did you know?"

            "Onii-chan, everybody in the Teigeki knows about it."

            "Eh, is that so?  Hehehe, let's go…"

            Then, suddenly, Iris stumbled to the ground.  Her breathing was suddenly heavy and fast, and she was sweating.  Extremely concerned, Ohgami knelt down and asked, "Iris?!  Iris?!  Are you okay!?"

            She looked at him with tired eyes and said, "Onii-chan, onii-chan…something's wrong…"

            "Huh?  What's wrong?"

            Then, she somehow regained her regular breathing.  Her sweating had slowed down.  "Huh?  Onii-chan…Iris wants to go home…" she said, tired.

            "Yes, yes, right away.  You better get some rest.  That smoke probably made you sick."

            She quickly nodded.  Then, in a quick motion, Ohgami carried Iris, in such a way a person would carry a baby.  Iris was startled, but Ohgami said, "Relax, Iris.  Get some rest.  You can rest better this way rather than a piggy-back."

            She nodded, and then rested her head on his shoulder.  Ohgami, checking first if she wouldn't fall, carefully walked her back to the car, where Kasumi was waiting.

            Iris, though, as she was slowly lulled to sleep, thought, _No…onii-chan should be happy tonight.  Iris didn't feel anything…it was just the smoke…_

            The fifth Sealing Rock.

            Its towering presence had an air of strangeness.  The monolith stood dominantly, almost piercing the sky with its sharp peak.  Magical letters carved on the rock secured whatever the rock was sealing.  Even though activity around it was already gone, it still gave off a strange feeling of hostility.

            Its surface was already cracked, most were cuts, which seemed to be made by swords.  Some of its parts were burned or blow off, most likely by explosives.  

            Some parts of it were already covered with fresh Wakiji blood, even guts.  A hand there, a foot by the side, and dark blood cascading down it like waterfalls made it even more disturbing.

            Due to the climactic battle which happened only weeks ago, the rock was sealed off.  Police barricades shut off all entrances to it and barbed wire coiled around the wooden fences.

            The stone had an eerie presence on it, and only a few dare enter it.

            But no one expected anybody to come out from it.

            The Wakiji blood parted, and revealed a crack on its craggy surface.  A brief light shot out of it, barely a second, and then the crack silently widened.  The blood bubbled, and the hands and feet and guts exploded, blood spraying everywhere, splattering on the rock.  The crack grew wider, now large enough to permit passage.

            Then, the blood stopped.  It went back to cascading.  Everything went quiet again.

            Then, a figure wrapped in a dark cloak stepped out of the stone.  A hood covered his face, and the cloak covered most of his body, except for a hand, which stuck out of the side.  It was deathly white, and had red, razor-sharp nails.

            Then, it murmured, in a quiet, hoarse voice, _"…ritual was incomplete…yet, I am alive once again…yet, as the ritual, I, too, am incomplete."_

            Its head seemed to look around, surveying its desolate environment.

            _"It changed so drastically.  That is so with humans.  They forget their sins all too quickly…"_

            It looked around more, now on its immediate surrounding.  It seemed to look for something.

            _"Where is the man who initiated the ritual…no matter…as long as I am alive…I have no need for help…_

            _"Now, I have returned…I have a purpose…now, I need a soul…"_

            Then the wind picked up, swirling around the figure.  The cloak was lifted up into the winds, carrying it along its breezes.

            When the cloak was lifted, there was nobody under it.

            And the wind seemed to laugh an evil, ragged, sickening laugh.


	3. Bad Night

3. Bad Night

            A naked Ohgami dipped himself in the bathtub, feeling the hot, soapy water sooth his tired body.  He couldn't resist releasing an "Aaaah" as he dipped deeper into the tub.  

            But this was no time to relax!  Ohgami had to finish his bath fast!  He had to scrub each and every part of his body to achieve total hygiene!  He had to look, feel, and smell good!  

            Most of all, he was late!

            He had just arrived from the harbor to find Sakura already prepared, dressed, and ready to go.  She looked spectacular in the pink summer gown that she was wearing, and Ohgami oddly had an inappropriate nose bleed.  

            "Ohgami-san?" She asked.

            "Er…" Ohgami was holding his nose, sticking a thumb up a nostril, "Er…woo yoo wait fer fifeen minutes?"

            "Of course!  I'll be at the parlor," Sakura said.

            And that brings him back to the present, scrubbing his body with fragrant soap.  He dipped his head into the water and washed the shampoo off his spiky hair.  After that, he washed the soap off his body with a quick splash of water from a pail.

            He had no time to waste.  The sun is setting and the reservation he made can only wait for so long!

            "Aaargh… I still have to dress up!  Sakura-kun, wait for meeee!"  Ohgami muttered, and bolted for his room.

            Sakura waited patiently in the parlor.  She made no sound as she just sat on the couch waiting for Ohgami to come, though her heart was madly beating like a stampede.  She was excited, no, anxious about what was going to happen later on.  This was their actual first date, and she had heard from Yuri and her friends that first dates often leave the lasting impressions.  So, she wanted it to be a smashing success.

            And stomping around madly while waiting for her date would not be a contribution.  So, she just sat down, waiting ever patiently.

            "Hmm…you seem to be dressed well for the evening, eh, Sakura-san?"

            Sakura almost jumped from the seat as she heard Sumire's voice float from the doorway.  She was wearing her usual violet kimono, pulled down to her shoulders.

            "Good evening, Sumire-san," Sakura politely greeted.

            "Where are you going, Sakura-san?"

            Sakura blushed.  She stammered, "I-I have a-a date."

            Sumire looked momentarily shocked, but then said, "With whom?"

            "Ohgami-san."

            "With Chuui?  Sakura-san!  I didn't know you LOVED men in uniform!"  Sumire looked highly amused.

            "No, no, that's not it!  Um…Ohgami-san and I are going out for dinner, that's all!"  Of course, she had been making that up.  She still had no idea of what Ohgami had in mind for their date.

            "Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!  But, Sakura-kun, did Chuui ask you out?  Or did you force him?  Hmmm?"

            "O-Ohgami-san…asked me out," she replied meekly.

            "Ah, but of course!  If I were around, he would've asked me!  I'm obviously the better choice!  Hohohohohohohohoho!"  Sumire laughed, fanning herself.

            "H-hai," Sakura quietly replied.

            "But since I was absent, a man has to take his chances, eh, Sakura-kun?  Of course, he'd go with you."

            "H-hai."  She bowed her head.

            Sumire looked infuriated.  "Is that you all have to say?"

            Sakura was silent.  She had gotten used to Sumire's behavior, but she thought, _What if she was right?  Sumire-san is obviously more beautiful…more talented than I'll ever be…_

_            "Sakura-kun?  Let's go."_

            Sakura's head lifted up, and gasped.

            It was Ohgami Ichiro, dressed in a formal black suit with a dark blue tie and white shirt underneath.  He wore dark colored pants and shiny, brand-new leather shoes.  His hair, though, was still as spiky as ever.  

            If Sakura were a man, she would've had a nosebleed.  But instead, she just gasped in awe.  Never, EVER had she seen Ohgami look so…so…_handsome!_

            Neither did Sumire, who was gawking at him too.

            "Ah, Sumire-kun.  Thanks for keeping Sakura-kun busy.  Let's go, Sakura-kun!  I've asked Kasumi to lend us her car.  I'm driving today!"  Ohgami said, smiling.

            Sakura slowly stood up, looking down, to hide her extremely red face.  She stood beside Ohgami, who opened one of his arms.  He was expecting her to lock arms with him.

            "Night's still young, Sakura-kun!"

            Much to Ohgami's delight, Sakura did lock arms with him, though reluctantly.  She was extremely shy.

            "Sayonara, Sumire-kun!  See you later!"  Ohgami said, bowed briskly, and walked off with Sakura.

            Sumire just stood there, holding her fan.  Then, her face twisted in anger, then threw down the fan and crushed it beneath her heel.

            "Oh-Oh-Ohgami-san?"

            Sakura was particularly quiet during the whole trip.  Ohgami was all for talk, telling her about the reservation he made in this fancy restaurant, and how their food was good and all.  Sakura was interested too, but not to curiosity's extent.  Most of the time, she just kept nodding.  This was the only time she actually spoke.

            "Yes?"  Ohgami replied as he took a right turn.

            "S-sumire-san told me that if she were here a few days ago…you would have asked her out instead of m-me.  Is it true?"

            There, she asked it.  Now, all she was hoping for was an honest answer.  She felt awful about asking the question, but she felt like she needed to know.

            "Sumire-kun told you that?"

            "H-hai."

            Ohgami smiled.  "Then you can tell her that she's wrong.  Remember how nervous I was when I asked you?  I rehearsed over and over again, waiting for the perfect opportunity to ask you.  But when I did have the opportunity, I was tongue-tied.  I mean, I was desperate how YOU would react, not anybody else.  I was planning to ask you all this time.  Not Sumire-kun, or anybody else."

            Sakura felt a little hopeful.  "Really?"

            "Of course!"

            Sakura blushed a bit, and then she smiled.  "Then I'm really glad I agreed."

            "Yeah, me too."

            Sakura looked at him at the corner of her eye, and he had a look of content on his face.  It looked like a great burden was heaved off his shoulders.

            "But that's our little secret, ok, Sakura-kun?"

            She nodded, saying, "Hai!"

            The empty cloak, lifted by the winds, hovered along the moonlit sky.  It looked like a dismembered bat wing, fluttering itself to keep aloft.  It had been flying around for a long time, and would swoop down when anybody had noticed it.  Yet, the Imperial capital was sleeping, the sky was its.

            The ragged voice inside muttered, "_Where…where…hm?"_

_            It found himself gliding over a car, the only one in the street.  It was driving at a fairly constant speed.  Steam and smoke drifted out of the small smoke stacks at the backside of the car._

            There were voices from within the car, a man's and a woman's.

            "_Hmm…Ohgami Ichiro…Sakura Shinguji…__there's a strong source of spiritual energy coming from both of them…"_

_            If the cloak had a face, it would have smiled.  It flew up higher, but still hovered over the car.  Then, it cackled a low, husky laugh, heard only by him._

            "_That will do."_

            In that evening, Sakura Shinguji could have sworn that she was the happiest girl on the face of the planet.

            It started off with a candlelit dinner at a very expensive restaurant.  They served sumptuous, excellent dishes, which Sakura only dreamed of eating.  It was topped off with a glass of exquisite champagne.  All the while, they talked and talked about all sorts of things, and even laughed as well.  Sakura and Ohgami stayed in the restaurant stayed well until closing time.

            Which leads to the present.  Arm in arm with Ohgami, they were taking a slow, moonlit stroll in Ueno park, where cherry blossoms always seemed to bloom there.

            "It's so beautiful here," Sakura murmured, resting her head on Ohgami's shoulder, "I'm glad I asked you to take us here."

            They stopped near the fence where it had a beautiful view of the Imperial Capital.  Only a few lights were lit now, and were scattered.  Yet, the white moon shone its quiet light on the capital.  Stars illuminated the sky in their tiny, yet infinitely numerous splendor.

            Then, a shooting star happened to streak against the sky, falling into the horizon.

            "Wow!  A shooting star!  They say that if you saw one, you could make a wish!"  Sakura happily said, pointing at it until it disappeared.

            "Hai…I've never seen one before.  Not even when I was just lying down on the deck, listening to the ocean waves," Ohgami replied, smiling.

            "Well, let's make a wish then."

            Both closed their eyes, and Sakura clasped her hands together in a prayerful gesture.  In a few moments, they opened again, and Ohgami said, "They say that if you tell your wish, it won't come true."

            Apparently, Sakura was going to ask him about his wish.  She just pouted, saying, "Never mind."

            Ohgami smiled, replying, "But I don't mind saying it now, because it already came true."

            Sakura was startled when she heard that, and in a reflex, she looked at him.

            And they found themselves looking deep into each other's eyes, jet black into azure blue.  But neither looked away.  Neither wanted to.

            "My wish," Ohgami said, gently drawing her close, until she was only a breath away, "was to have a night like this…alone with you, Sakura-kun."

            "O-Ohgami-s-san," she stammered, but never tore away her gaze.

            "Sakura-kun…I've something to tell you…"

            "Hai?"  She felt her cheeks burn up again.

            "Sakura-kun…I…I…"

            "_Oh, shut up."_

_            The moment ruined, they moved away from each other almost instantly.  Their cheeks were flaming red._

            _"This…is…all too sickening."_

_            Only then did they notice a hooded figure in front of them.  Its face and body was covered with the cloak, save a pale, white hand with red nails._

            "Who are you?" Ohgami demanded.

            "_Names are unimportant.  What matters is the destruction of the Imperial Capital."_

_            "What!?" Sakura blurted out, instantly wishing she had brought along Arataka._

            "_You…and your so-called love…humans are so foolish…so selfish…so…so stupid.  Such pathetic beings should be crushed like insects."_

_            "Who are you?"  Ohgami repeated, infuriated, "What do you want from us?"_

            "_Impudence… pay your respects…pay with your life…Ichiro!!"_

_            Then, in a blink of an eye, it disappeared into thin air._

            Ohgami looked around, but found no signs of whatever it was.  But it gave off a strange, cold aura…similar to Yamazaki's…but colder, stronger, more evil…

            Then, what happened next happened too fast.  In a mere five seconds, Ohgami's eyes widened, as he felt something sharp, something wide, like a broad sword, dive itself into his stomach.  Pain surged through his body in a quick flash, and blood spurted out of the wound.  Ohgami had no chance to scream, for he had already stumbled to the ground.

            Ohgami's mind, his thoughts, was fading fast.  He saw the ground rushing up to meet him. He heard his own grunt of pain.  He heard Sakura shriek his name.  He smelled his blood.  He felt those red nails go deeper, reaching through his spine, out the back.    He felt his vital organs being severed.  He felt his back being torn.  He felt his blood spurt out like a sick fountain.  Then, everything disappeared.

            Everything was quiet, for the world was swallowed in darkness.  He heard one thing, though, before he lapsed into this dark world.

            "_But…you shall be of use to me…"_


	4. Awake Nightmare

4. Awake Nightmare

            Ohgami opened his eyes, and saw nothing.  He strained his ears to hear, but heard nothing.  He tried to speak, but nothing came out.  Ohgami tried to feel his surroundings, but touched nothing.

            Everything was so dark.  If Ohgami could see anything, it was this black world he was currently in.

            Then, suddenly, Sakura appeared.  She was far from him, and her back was turned. She started to walk away.

            He tried to call out her name, but nothing came out.  He was screaming at the top of his lungs, but couldn't hear anything, or feel his lungs strain, or his mouth move.  

            Sakura disappeared into the darkness.

            Then, Sumire appeared, in a fashion similar to Sakura's.  Far away, her back turned, walking away.

            Ohgami called out again, but nothing came out.

            She disappeared, to be replaced by Iris.  Clutching Jean-Paul, she too walked away, until she, too disappeared.  Then Maria appeared, and then she disappeared too.  Then Kanna, then Kohran.  Then Ayame.  Then Yoneda.

            Ohgami then saw everybody that he knew in his entire life appeared, walked away, and then disappeared.  They appeared almost simultaneously, crowding Ohgami.  But it was strange.  He didn't feel them budging into him.

            Then, they all disappeared.  Ohgami was alone again.

            After a few moments, a reflection of himself appeared before him.  He was dressed in his usual attire: white polo, yellow vest, green tie, and slacks.

            "Hello," the reflection said.

            He helloed back, though he knew that no voice would come out.

            "Save me," the reflection said.

            Suddenly, black tendrils wrapped around Ohgami's reflection, circling each and every part of his body, from his feet up to his head.  He screamed in fear as the tendrils snuffed out his voice.

            Ohgami tried to lunge for his reflection, but found out that he had no feet to jump with, and no arms to reach with.  He watched helplessly as the reflection, mummified by the tendrils, slowly pulling him into the darkness.

            Right after that, the cloak appeared again, yet it seemed like someone was actually wearing it.  There were leather-clad feet underneath, and pale arms were sticking out.  His hands were holding two katanas, one shorter than the other.

            Then, it faced Ohgami.  His swords disappeared, and he laughed out loud.  It was an evil, ragged, sickening laugh, yet it filled the world so much that it seemed like the world was laughing the same laugh.

            Still laughing, with one hand, he drew up the hood to reveal his face.

            If Ohgami had a voice, he would have screamed.

            He was looking at himself.

            "….uh…ah…AH….UWAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!"

            Ohgami screamed, abruptly rising from his bed, snapping the syringe off his hand.

            "Taichou!  Calm down!"

            It was Kanna, who pushed Ohgami back down the bed.  Ohgami tried to fight back, but the martial artist's massive strength suppressed him.  Eventually, Ohgami calmed down.

            "W-Where am I?"  Ohgami slurred.

            "You're in the hospital.  You're a lucky guy, Taichou.  It was fortunate that Yoneda-shihainin was passing by to check up on you, or you would've been dead meat, for sure!"  Kanna replied.

            He looked at himself.  He was dressed in patient's clothes.

            "I'm in the hospital…where's Sakura-kun?" he asked.

            "Outside, worried sick.  She was crying so hard when Shihainin found you, he said.  You were bleeding a whole a lot."

            "How is she?"

            "She's asleep now, thank goodness.  She was hysterical, lemme tell ya.  Kept saying things like you weren't gonna make it and it was all her fault, since she asked ya to bring her to Ueno…but she's cried herself to sleep."

            "Sakura-kun…" he murmured.

            "Hey, I'm gonna call a nurse to put that syringe back, ok?  You stay put, I'll be right back," she said, and handed him a glass of water.  "Drink up."

            She left the room.  Ohgami put the glass to his lips and drank up the water.  While he did that, he could hear someone talking outside.  It was Kanna, her loud voice unmistakable, then someone else.  

            While no one was around, he lifted up his shirt.  On his stomach was a huge scar.  It was stitched up now, but it was terribly ugly, like a stitched eye.  He dropped his shirt again, because he heard the door open.

            The door opened slightly, and Iris entered.  Her eyes were red and puffy.  She looked like she cried a lot too.  She was holding Jean-Paul's paw, most of the bear's body on the floor.

            "O-onii-chan?" she said, her tiny voice seemingly so tired.

            "Hey, Iris…" For some reason, he found it hard to speak.

            Then, she burst into tears.  Dropping Jean-Paul, she ran towards her onii-chan and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck, burying her face on his chest.

            "Onii-chan…onii-chan…onii-chan…" she constantly repeated, sobbing on his chest.

            Ohgami gently patted her head.  "Iris…I'm okay.  Everything's ok.  Please calm down," Ohgami soothingly said.

            It took her a few minutes to settle down and stop crying, but Iris wouldn't let go of her onii-chan.  She was cradled in his arms, her head resting on his arm.

            "Hey, Iris," he said, and Iris looked up, "What time is it?"

            "It's evening," she said.

            "Evening…"

            "Onii-chan has been asleep for two days now, but you're ok, now."

            "Two days?  Honto?"

            Iris nodded.  "Your operation took a lot of time, and you lost a lot of blood.  The doctors said you need a transfusion…and Yoneda-ojichan volunteered."

            "Shihainin?  Really?"

            Iris nodded.  "He's asleep now, in the next room."

            He patted her head.  "How are you?"

            "Iris is okay, now that Onii-chan's okay.  Iris was so worried…she suddenly felt cold when Iris was sleeping.  Something was wrong, and Iris knew that you were hurt.  Iris cried a lot, and Yoneda-ojichan went out to look for you, because Iris told him that you were hurt."

            Ohgami smiled.  "Ah, so in truth, you saved me, Iris!  Thank you very much."

            She snuggled up closer to Ohgami, and said, "Please, onii-chan…don't get hurt again.  Iris gets so worried."

            He hugged her tight.  "I'll try."

            The door opened, and Kanna returned, with a nurse.  She saw Iris in Ohgami's arms, and said, "Ah, so Iris found ya!  Well, it's good that she's calmed down, too."

            She held out her hand.  "Let's go, Iris.  Taichou needs to rest more."

            Iris shook her head.  "No.  Iris wants to stay with Onii-chan longer."

            "Iris…Taichou needs more rest to recover.  You don't want him to stay in bed forever now, don't you?"  Kanna said, still holding out her hand.

            Iris seemed reluctant, then looked at Ohgami, who said, "Go on.  I'll be okay."

            She nodded, and for the first time, she gave him a small kiss on the cheek.  Ohgami was startled, as Iris, blushing, slid off his arms and off the bed.  She held Kanna's hand and hesitantly left for the door.

            But before she left the room, she looked back at Ohgami, who was quietly waving.  She smiled and waved back, while saying, "Onii-chan, get well, ok?"

            He nodded.  Content, she left.

            The nurse, who accompanied Kanna, gave Ohgami a medicine tablet.  She said, "Take this.  It'll help you go to sleep.  You've been through a lot, and you need your rest."

            Ohgami swallowed the tablet, followed with a gulp of water.  Then, he instantly felt the medicine take affect.  He was feeling drowsy, and then a short, sharp pain, probably the syringe, then eventually, fell asleep.

            "Kanna? Do you think onii-chan will be okay?"

            Kanna and Iris were at the hospital cafeteria, treating themselves to couple of sandwiches, and a mug of coffee for Kanna, hot chocolate for Iris.  Kanna was in the middle of the sandwich when she replied, "Down't wowry.  He's phrehty sthrong."

            "Huh?"

            Kanna swallowed first, then took a gulp of coffee. Then she repeated, "Don't worry.  He's pretty strong."

            "Iris hopes so."

            She guffawed a bit before replying, "Iris, Taichou's a really strong guy!  Yeah, take that from me.  He's been through a lot, and he still made it!  I mean, most guys would've just curled up and died, but Taichou's pretty determined to stay alive!"

            Iris nodded, taking a sip of hot chocolate.

            "Hey, Iris.  Don't worry.  He never failed us before, and he won't fail us this time, too.  So, keep your hopes, ok?"

            Iris nodded again.  But somehow, she felt that something wasn't right.  That something was wrong with Onii-chan.  It wasn't his physical injuries.  It was far deeper.

            But as Kanna said, Ohgami's a really strong person, and Iris firmly believed that he would make it.

            "We're deeply sorry, major.  We didn't find anyone fitting the Taichou's attacker's description," Maria apologized, bowing slightly.

            "Yeah.  We looked everywhere, but no trace," Kohran said, bowing too.

            Ayame sighed.  "Well, two days of searching must have taken a lot out of you.  You better get some rest yourselves.  I'll ask the other divisions to search for that man."

            They were in the Teigeki, specifically, Ayame's office.  Maria and Kohran were assigned to search for Ohgami's attacker, but until now, they found no trace of him.

            "But, Major, Kohran and I were planning to go out again after we report," Maria said.

            Kohran nodded.  "Yeah!  We won't give up just yet."

            Ayame shook her head.  She said, in a final sort of way, "No, it's best for you to take a rest for a while.  Exerting your tired body past your limits won't benefit you at all."

            Both were going to protest, but felt the fatigue catch up to them.  They suddenly found it hard to stay awake.

            "You see?  Get some sleep, both of you."

            They tiredly saluted Major Fujieda, and walked out the door.  Though they wouldn't admit it directly, they too found it hard to walk.

            "I still can't believe it.  Who would do such a terrible thing to Ohgami-han?" Kohran said, her feet shuffling against the floor.

            Maria though, tried to walk as straight as possible.  She replied, "I don't know."

            "And the way he did it!  With his nails!"

            Maria looked thoughtful for a minute, and then said, "If memory serves, Setsuna had sharp nails too, and can vanish and instantly appear whenever he wished."

            "But Maria-han.  Setsuna's dead.  He died along with Rasetsu," Kohran replied hopelessly.

            They walked on, their bodies becoming heavier by the minute.  Yet, Maria still talked, saying, "I won't let it happen again.  I won't let this happen to Taichou again."

            Kohran nodded.  She replied, "Yeah.  We won't.  He's too important for us all, ya."

            Maria nodded too, then both opened the doors into their rooms, and then both slumped down on their beds, not even bothering to change clothes.  Fatigue finally overtook them as they drifted to sleep.

            And as they slept, their faces were contorted in sadness, and tears flowed out of their closed eyes.

            Sumire quietly opened the door to Ohgami's door, just a small crack.  She gasped when she saw him, lying down on the bed, with that syringe inserted into his arm, looking deathly asleep.  Though she knew that he was only asleep, she couldn't shake off the scary feeling that he was already dead.

            "No, no, Sumire, snap yourself out of it!" she said to herself, slapping herself lightly, "Chuui's all right.  He'll be all right.  He has to be…"

            She took a look again, at his still form, his stomach slowly rising and falling.  His spiky hair was a mess, his dress was shabby at best, and the bed looked far from comfortable.  She wondered how anybody could go to sleep in those conditions.

            "But…Chuui's been through a lot, I suppose.  Nothing he could handle.  He's been through a lot, he can go through this one."

            But she looked again, but her heart wouldn't stop beating.  Her hands were clammy and beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

            "But…I can't stop worrying.  I can't help it.  I can't.  Oh, Chuui, " Sumire murmured, closing the door, feeling tears stream down her cheeks.  

            She wiped them away roughly.  No, a star like her wouldn't be seen breaking down like this.  No, she'll take it with stride, with grace…

            But she couldn't.  She slumped down on the floor and started to cry.  Her heart was beating fast, her tears flowing fast.

            "Chuui, please be all right…please…"

            _My wish…was to have a night like this, alone with you, Sakura-kun.  _

_            With you._

_            Sakura-kun._

_            You._

_            It came true._

_            To be with you, Sakura-kun._

_            I don't mind saying it now, because it already came true._

_            Sakura-kun…I…I…_

_            These words kept repeating themselves in Sakura's mind.  The last scene she had with Ohgami kept replaying itself in her mind.  _

            She had just woken up, and realized that nothing of it had been just a horrible nightmare.  She kept waking up in the hospital lobby.  She kept expecting that the next time she waked up, she would be back in the Teigeki, or back home in Sendai.  She wanted to believe that nothing had happened.  That Ohgami hadn't been attacked.

            She would give up her happiness during her time with Ohgami, to help insure that it never happened.

            She'd give up anything.

            But, she had to face the music.  It did happened.  A stranger attacked Ohgami.  Ohgami lay dying on the ground, his blood spilling.  Ohgami was now in the hospital bed, fighting for his life.

            She hadn't changed since the incident.  She was still dressed in the same pink summer dress, now soaked with blood.  Some of it was torn off, so that it can serve as bandages.  Even her hair ribbon was gone.

            But who cared.  Ohgami was dying.

            With unsteady legs and a heavy heart, she walked slowly, her feet shuffling.  Ohgami's room was at the next floor, third from the right.  She had memorized it instantly.

            At the stairs, each rising step seemed to be so heavy.  Sakura still lifted her feet though to climb it, though she stumbled at times.  One of her pearl-colored shoes had broken its strap during one of her falls, and rolled down to the first floor.

            Who cared?  Ohgami was dying.  Sakura removed the other shoe and threw it down the stairs to join its twin.

            At the next floor, she took a turn to the right, and counted the doors she passed, until she was at the third.  There was a bench right to the opposite of the door, and there was Sumire, sleeping, covered in a blanket.

            Sakura didn't notice her, though.  Who cared?  Ohgami was dying.

            She clutched the doorknob but did not twist it.  All of a sudden, her heartbeat was furiously fast.  Her hands were sweaty.  Her breathing was ragged and difficult.  She felt cold and uneasy.  Most of all, she was unprepared.

            Sakura stood before the door, nervous, hesitant, and afraid.  What was beyond that door, she was unprepared to take.

            She was divided.  One part told her to stay out, to come at a later time, or just not come at all.  She was afraid of her heart being torn apart by what she might see later.  Yet, another part told her that opening the door was inevitable, and this was one of those events where one would just have to grit the teeth and go in. 

            Even though Sakura was only a few feet now from Ohgami, she felt so far away.

            Sakura then decided to just face the music.  If it was her fault then it was time to make amends.

            With trembling fingers, she opened the door, slowly, but fully. She walked in and closed it behind her.

            And she gasped, putting her hands over her mouth.

            There he was, asleep.  His stomach was rising and falling steadily.  A syringe was plunged into his skin, transporting a clear liquid from a suspended plastic bag.  His mouth opened when he breathed.

            At the sight, tears silently flowed from her eyes.  She was happy.  Ohgami was alive.

            She moved beside the bed, her fingers gliding over the sheets, until it went to his hand, the one without the syringe.  She held it tight, as she sat down on a chair beside the bed.

            Then, to her utmost surprise, Ohgami's hand squeezed back.

            "S…s…Sakura-kun?"  He groggily murmured.  His eyes opened slightly, focusing on the girl beside him.

            She was silent, yet her tears seemed to speak for her.

            "H-hey…please…don't cry…" Ohgami muttered, and with a heavy hand, he wiped away her tears.  Once done, it slumped back down on the bed.

            She found it hard to speak, but said, "F-forgive me, Ohgami-san.  Maybe…maybe if I hadn't persuaded you to…go to Ueno with me…this wouldn't have happened."

            He lazily shook his head.  "No…don't blame y…yourself.  It…it was gonna happen e…eventually…"

            "Huh?"

            "He…he called me by…my name…Ichiro, he said."

            "But…if I didn't…"

            Ohgami's tired hand went up to Sakura's face, gently caressing her cheek.  She was startled at first, but then held his hand too.  For the first time, she was smiling.

            "T…there.  That's better…I'm tired…sleep…don't cry…don't cry…please…" Then Ohgami fell back into slumber.

            Yet his hand remained on her cheek, his thumb absentmindedly stroking her reddened cheek.    It was only after a few moments that his hand fell back on the bed.

            Tears came back to her eyes, but they weren't of sad regrets or bad memories.  She cried because she was happy, that Ohgami was okay, that he was going to make it.

            And that even in his tired state, he was still able to care for her.  He was determined to make her feel better, even if he was in a much worse condition.

            Then, fatigue finally beset her.  She had been worried to death for two straight days.  It was only now that her burden was finally relieved.  She fell asleep, her head resting on the bed, her hand intertwined with Ohgami's.


	5. Stronger Chains

5. Stronger Chains

            A week had passed, and Ohgami Ichiro was still confined in the hospital.  His injury, though now healed, had left an ugly scar on his stomach.  He had gotten over that, as well as the mental and emotional problems as well.  He still couldn't shake off what had happened on that night, but at least he could handle the situation better now.

            The Hanagumi too, helped the Taichou by sending him a horde of "get well" cards and things like flowers and balloons.  Sakura and Iris visited the most among the six girls, usually leaving the hospital at noon.  They still had a play to practice, which was the reason why Ohgami asked them to concentrate on the play more, now that he was on his way to a steady recovery.  After constant debates, Sakura and Iris then gave up, and restricted their visits to the weekends.

            Ohgami did not have his nightmare again after the first time, though it did not need a second time to have it burned in his memory forever.  Whatever it meant was still a complete mystery to Ohgami.  He did not understand the people appearing and disappearing while walking away, or the black tendrils that wrapped his reflection, nor his face under the hood.  He was still disturbed about the part where it seemed like his mind was disembodied, because he couldn't feel his mind, nor speak a word.  

            But Ohgami did not reveal his nightmare to his teammates, especially to Sakura, who was looking forward to his recovery.  They did not need a weird nightmare to worsen things, and since it only happened once, it might have been just an odd dream.

            One day later, at noon…

            "Thank you very much," Ohgami said, bowing deeply.  

            "No, no, don't mention it," Yoneda replied, waving his hand.

            "But, sir, if you hadn't…" Ohgami was interrupted by Yoneda saying, "Don't mention it."

            Ohgami just nodded and said, "Yes, sir."

            He left the commander's office and once again roamed the halls and corridors of the Teigeki.  Nothing much change in his week of absence, except that the music and singing coming from the stage lazily drifted up here in the dormitories.

            "Ah, it feels good to be back home!" Ohgami exclaimed, stretching his arms.  He had just returned from the hospital and had gone straight to Yoneda's office to say his thanks for the blood transfusion.  Now, he went back to patrolling the halls.

            Not that it was necessary, of course.  Patrols were usually done at night, after lights-out, but Ohgami thought this to be the best way to readjust to his surroundings.  Though he was only gone for a week, it seemed like a longer time for the Taichou.

            Ohgami then decided to go visit the girls, to check up on how they were doing.  Since it was noontime, they were probably at the dining room, having their one-hour lunch break.

            They still didn't know that he had already come home, since he returned during practice.  How they were going to react, Ohgami wasn't sure yet, but he was already making predictions, like Kanna hollering and giving him a noogie or something, or Maria saying something short and quick like, "Welcome back, Taichou."

            "Oh, what the heck, let's just do it.  They'll probably just wave at me and say, `Welcome home` or something," Ohgami said to himself, and when he got there, he opened the door to the dining area.

            But took a peek first.

            As usual, they were eating together on the same table.  Maria and Iris were eating quietly as usual, and Sakura and Kohran looked like they were deep in conversation, probably about Kobu.  He could also hear Kanna and Sumire's heated arguments again, Kanna calling Sumire a stuck-up, good-for-nothing snake witch, while Sumire insulted Kanna by saying that she was an ill mannered, barbaric ape woman.

            "Ah, it does feel good to be back home!  Nothing has changed," Ohgami muttered to himself, a wide smile crossing his face.

            Then, he took a deep breath, and then walked in.

            "Hello, everyone!" he exclaimed, as he approached them.  They were completely oblivious of his presence until now.

            The room was hushed instantly, then a chorus of gasps, then all together, "_Ohgami!"_

            As expected, they welcomed him back warmly, like a long lost friend.  Ohgami's heart swelled with happiness as he was surrounded with the girls he had sworn to protect, all smiling as they sat him down to eat with them.  As they ate, questions shot like bullets, but the topic always avoided what happened on the incident.  They were tactful and caring enough to not bring up the subject.

            Their performance in the practice surprisingly improved when Ohgami watched them.  All sung with their hearts, and brought out their lines as if they were the characters themselves.  They danced gracefully with the music, missing no step and careful in each.  Somehow, Ohgami boosted their morale by just watching them and smiling at times.

            Indeed, Ohgami was glad to be back home.

            Later, as Ohgami patrolled around the Teigeki as usual, he happened to pass by the kitchen, which had its light on.  It was rather unusual, as he expected that he was the only one awake in the playhouse.  So, carefully, he took a peek.

            To his surprise, it was Sakura, drinking a glass of water and eating a cup of instant noodles.

            "Sakura-kun?" Ohgami called as he entered.

            She was obviously surprised, throwing up her fork.  "Oh-Ohgami-san!"

            "What're you doing up so late in the night?"  Ohgami asked, first picking up her fork then pulling a chair to sit beside her.

            "Oh…well, I was just hungry…thought I can make myself some noodles," Sakura replied, before taking another fork and slurping up some more noodles.

            "Is that it?  Couldn't it wait till the morning?"

            She shook her head.  "Well, aside from being hungry…I couldn't sleep well, too."

            "Is anything wrong?  Anything I can help you out with?  You need your rest, Sakura-kun," Ohgami replied, a hint of concern in his voice.

            She smiled.  It was nice that Ohgami was concerned about her.  "No…it's nothing."

            "Are you sure?"

            She nodded, swallowing the last of the noodles and washed it down with the remaining water.  "Well, I'm done!"

            Ohgami smiled.  "Then, let me accompany you back to your room."

            "I-Iie, daijobu.  I can make my way back," Sakura replied, blushing with a strong sense of shyness in her voice.

            But he shook his head.  "I don't mind, really!  I'm done patrolling, anyway.  Your room is on the way to mine, so let's just go together."

            Of course, Sakura had no choice but to agree.  But, she didn't mind, really.  In actuality, she was hoping that he would pass by and find her eating, because she wanted to talk to him about something in private.

            "Ohgami-san?" Sakura asked, as they made their way in the corridors of the first floor, heading for the exit to the second floor.

            "Hai?"

            "I-It's about what happened on that night…"

            Ohgami looked grim all of a sudden, but tried to keep his tone light.  "What about it?"

            "Well…gomen ne…"

            "Sakura-kun, I told you that it's not your fault.  That person, or whatever he was, was hunting me.  It was only a matter of time," Ohgami explained.

            "I know…but I can't help it!  I can't help feel responsible for what happened…if I hadn't asked you to go to Ueno…maybe things would've been different…maybe you wouldn't have gotten hurt," Sakura replied, her voice growing weak.  Tears were beginning to appear under her eyes.

            Ohgami picked up his pace, stepped in front of Sakura, held both her shoulders, and looked deep into her eyes.  Sakura couldn't help but look too, though she preferred to keep her eyes on the ground.  

            "Sakura-kun, look at me," he said, "When I was promoted to be the Captain of the Hanagumi, I knew there would be risks.  I'd entered into a life where danger was at every turn, and the future was far from certain.  I'd be making good friends, but at the same time, I'd be making bad enemies as well."

            Sakura seemed to have her whole attention on Ohgami, though a nagging feeling in her heart wanted to tear her gaze away.

            "But I knew that.  I knew that I'd be facing danger.  I knew that I'd have an uncertain future.  What happened on the night was a risk I had to take, no matter how gruesome the outcome.  So what if I received a big ugly scar on my stomach?  I'd probably have more if more fights come, but at least I knew that it would eventually come, and that I was prepared."

            "But…" Sakura murmured, her tears falling.

            He gently squeezed her shoulders.  "Sakura-kun… I appreciate your concern, but you don't have to feel that everything that happened is your fault.  It never had been…but…well…"

            All of a sudden, he was at a loss of words.  His continuous flow of words was cut abrupt.  He was becoming red.

            "Ohgami-san?"

            "Anou…arigato…for being so worried about me…I appreciate it, I really do.  No one's shown me so much concern before, well, not before now, at least.  Really, arigato gozaimas, Sakura-kun."

            His lips curled into an uneasy smile.  His eyes seemed to express his thanks.

            "Ohgami-san…" Sakura whispered, and smiled too, her tears stopping.

            "There, that's better," Ohgami replied, using his thumb to wipe away her tears, "You look much better when you're smiling."

            Sakura nodded, but didn't bring her head up.  Her bangs made it hard for Ohgami to see how she was feeling.

            "Sakura-kun?  Are you okay…eh?"

            Ohgami was quite unprepared when Sakura went closer to him and buried her face on his chest, her hands gently clutching his brown vest. 

            Unknown to Ohgami, she was still smiling, though tears were falling again.  She secretly wished that they would just remain like this, his constant warmth radiating into her, soothing her, calming her nerves.  If she had her way with things, she wouldn't have let go.

            If Sakura was feeling warm, Ohgami was frozen solid.  His back felt rigid and he found it hard to move.  Though instincts told him to zoom out, his legs seemed to be rooted to the ground. 

            "Erg…" he muttered, no longer feeling his legs.

            Then, Sakura murmured, barely a whisper, but still audible, "Arigato gozaimas…Ohgami-san."

            With those words, warmth returned to Ohgami's body almost suddenly.  His heart beat fast, his hands slightly trembling.  Then, he was able to smile again, and in return, he just placed his trembling arms around her back, and hugged back.

            "Y-You're welcome, Sakura-kun," he replied quietly.


	6. Unfinished Business

6. Unfinished Business

            If anyone noticed their behavior these past few days, one could note that Sakura Shinguji and Ohgami Ichiro were becoming closer.  They almost did everything together: eat together, train together, talk together, and go on errands together.  It was rather unusual, though.  After all, Sakura was a naïve, shy country girl, and Ohgami lived most of his life in the company of men.  Both somewhat lived in opposite worlds.  But no one minded.

            Sumire, though, was getting awfully suspicious.  She found it unusual for these two to be together, because after all, they were two completely different people.  In her present point of view, Sakura was a stupid, lazy, ill-mannered, good-for-nothing dimwit who didn't have enough brains to fill a cup… a REALLY small cup, say an eggcup, or a thimble, a bottle cap.  Ohgami, however, was a fine specimen of man: handsome, good-natured, brilliant, courageous, and courteous.  He was the ideal man, and was better off without an idiot like Sakura, and was better off with someone like…

            Like Sumire, for example.

            Yes, in her humblest opinion, Sumire Kanzaki was the finest lady anywhere.  She was undeniably beautiful and sexy, was filthy rich, was definitely and extremely popular, and was really intelligent…she was indescribable. 

And that was her humblest opinion.

Yet what she couldn't understand is why.  Why would a fine man like Ohgami Ichiro go for a moron like Sakura, when there's someone way, way better around?  Why would Ohgami like a retard like Sakura when he could go for the better choice?

Why wasn't it making any sense?

"Why, Sumire!  I do believe you're jealous!" Kanna guffawed, seeing Sumire observe Sakura and Ohgami talking under a tree from a window.  They were eating lunch.  As they ate, Sumire had this seething look on her face, like she wanted to throw something out the window.

"K-Kanna-san!?"  She was obviously taken by surprise by Kanna's loud outburst.

She chuckled even more, which made Sumire even more furious.  "Hehehe!  You're jealous of Sakura going with the Taichou, eh?"

"I must say, you must be mistaken!" She lied, laughing her "ho-ho-ho's", "HOHOHOHOHO!  I was just observing what a fine day it was!"  She shot a look back outside.  Sakura and Ohgami had left the scene.

"Oh yeah?" Kanna had a mischievous look on her face.

"YES!" Sumire replied impatiently, shifting her attention back to Kanna.

"Oh well, then you won't probably won't mind me saying that Taichou and Sakura are goin' out tonight…to this fancy hotel…"

"WHAT!?" Sumire was suddenly out of breath.  Her ears wouldn't stop ringing.

Kanna laughed even louder, stumbling down on the floor, her hands gripping her stomach.

"Oh man…oh…hahaha…YOU should've seen your face!  Hahahahaha…. Oh man, you looked like you were gonna have a heart attack…hahahaha…"

            Even more infuriated than before, Sumire stormed out of the room, leaving Kanna writhing on the floor, laughing her heart out.

            Sumire wasn't having a ball, though.  She was extremely seething.  She was so mad; she wouldn't be surprised if steam came out of her ears.  She almost had half the mind to ride her Kobu and hack the Teigeki apart.

            Or Kanna, or Sakura, at least, whichever came first.

            But she needed to calm down.  Being mad like this wasn't going to help.  Though her plan, whatever it may be, wasn't formulated yet, being angry wasn't beneficial.  So, she thought that taking a dip in the pool was what she needed.

            But as she turned into the next corridor, she abruptly bumped into something.  She was walking so fast, though, that she bounced off a little and fell on her behind.

            "Ow…hey you!  Please look at where you're look…" Suddenly, she lost her voice when she got a view of whom she exactly bumped into.

            It was Ohgami.

            She was, of course, surprised.  "C-Chuui!?"

            "Gomennasai, Sumire-kun!" he apologized, bowing, "Here, let me help you up."  He offered her a hand.

            Sure enough, she obliged, gingerly putting her hand into his.  Gently, he pulled her up.

            "Chuui…"

            "Sorry again, Sumire-kun.  I probably wasn't looking," Ohgami said, scratching his black spiky head.

            There he was, Sumire thought, looking all apologetic and adorable.  If she had her way, she would have smothered the life out of him.  She felt her cheeks burn up.

            "Yes, well, next time," Sumire reflexively said, in her usual high-class tone.  She instantly hated herself for that.

            "Well, I've got to go.  Got to get something…so, sore ja!" Ohgami said, bowing again, then ran past her.

            Then, all of a sudden, more reflex than anything else, she called for him, but it wasn't Chuui, though.  "Ohgami-san!"

            Even Ohgami was surprised.  She used Chuui because it was a formal greeting, calling him by designation rather than his name.  Somehow, Ohgami was drawn back to her.

            "Hai?" Ohgami said, still rather shaken.

            "Well…"

            Her thoughts told her, _It's now or never, Sumire.  Just do it!_

_            "Well, we're…good friends, aren't we?" Sumire asked rather nervously._

            "Yes, of course!"

            "We've been together for almost a whole year now."

            "Right!"

            "Well, er…sometimes, a friend whose been friends with another friend…er…has feelings that go beyond the normal feelings!" She was feeling stupid.

            "Right…" Ohgami had no idea what she was trying to say.

            "And…umm…when those feelings reach past the normal limits, it's…er…those feelings aren't applicable for good friends, anymore…"

            She wasn't making any sense.  That occurred to Ohgami, too.

            "Sumire-kun…could you, uh, be a little clearer on that?"

            "Well, Chuui, what I'm trying to say is this…the feelings I have for you is not what they seem anymore…it's past their normal stages… or something!  Well, what I mean is that…er…Chuui, I'm, I'm…"

            "Yes?"

            "I'm….EH?" 

            The alarm sounded, its shrilly bells ringing across the halls of the Teigeki.  Its noise was absolutely deafening, drowning out Sumire's voice.

            "The alarm!"  Ohgami exclaimed, barely hearing his own voice, "Something's up!  Let's go, Sumire-kun!"

            He bolted down the stairs, leaving Sumire on that lonely corridor, the only sound being the noisy alarm.  

            She had so much to say, and would have gotten it through if not for that alarm.  Her heart was beating rapidly fast then, only to have it halt as Ohgami disappeared down the stairs.  She wanted to pull him back, to have them alone on that corridor again, but then again, she can't have everything.

            She sighed.  "Well, I'll just see what's going on.  Cursed alarm…" she muttered, and walked down the stairs.

            "NANI!?"

            Kasumi's report was incomprehensible, despite her clear voice.  The Hanagumi, Ayame, and Yoneda couldn't understand what she had just said.

            She tensely repeated, "Wakiji have appeared from out of nowhere and now have surrounded the Teigeki!"

            Sakura replied, "But that's impossible!  I thought all the Wakiji were destroyed when Satan Aoi was defeated!"

            But her retort was futile, however.  The screen showed an immense number of black blips surrounding the playhouse.  All exits were blocked out, and all of the unholy robots were armed to the teeth with swords, axes, guns, and rocket launchers.

            "No, this can't be!" Ayame muttered.

            "Kasumi-kun, how did they arrive without us noticing?" Yoneda replied.

            Kasumi replied, rather nervously, "Our radars and outside sources could trace any enemy activity in a huge radius.  Any activity from the enemy would be known!  But…but these units, they seem to have appeared from out of nowhere!"

            Despite the bad situation, Maria calmly replied, "Perhaps the lookout was lax since Satan Aoi was defeated."

            "No, Maria-kun, Kasumi-kun's right.  We would have known," Yoneda said.  If their radars and sources couldn't find out what was happening, the Tsukigumi, a team of reliable spies and excellent information gatherers, would had had Yoneda informed.  They were the hidden eyes of the Imperial Capital, and the only way to have an enemy go undetected was to blind the Tsukigumi, and that was very hard to do, if not impossible.

            Ohgami, who had been observing the screen, found something odd.  "Minna, look.  Despite their huge numbers, none of them are making a move!"

            Everybody turned their attention back to the screen and found out that Ohgami was right.  None of them were moving or attacking.  They just seemed to stand there, doing nothing.

            "Ohgami-han's right…what're they up to?" Kohran said.

            The room went into an uneasy silence, all of them looking at the screen.  The situation seemed hopeless.  How can they face a huge army of Wakiji?  The odds seem to be against this them time.

            "NO!  It can't be!  This…this is inconceivable!"  Yuri gasped, breaking the slience, staring at the various meters before her.

            "What is it, Yuri-kun?" Ohgami asked.

            "What's this…this single unit!" Yuri said, pointing at one blip, now colored purple for distinguishing purposes, "This single unit has an immense amount of dark spiritual energy!  You can add up the energy of the whole Wakiji army and it would still be incomparable to this unit's power!"

            "NANI?!"  They all shouted together again.

            "I'm sure about this…this single unit has enough power to destroy the Teigeki all by itself!"

            Dread filled their hearts as Yuri's report finally sank in.  It seemed like the end of the world for them.

            "No…what kind of entity would have this much power?" Ohgami muttered in despair, slamming his fist.

            "Not even Satan Aoi had this much power…" Kanna muttered.

            "Demo…anou…it's not moving as well…" Sakura said, pointing at it.

            They looked back, and Sakura was correct.  Despite the unit's immense power, it wasn't utilizing it one bit.

            "What are they up to?"  Kohran wondered aloud.

            "But we won't stand a chance!  Look at that power!  Even I can't beat that!"  Sumire screamed.

            "I hate to admit it, but our chances are bleak," Maria coldly said.

            "Maria's right," Kanna murmured hopelessly, "We barely stood a chance with Satan Aoi, and this guy's got more power than ten Satan Aoi's…"

            Then, all of a sudden, Ohgami got up and started to walk out.

            "Taichou?  Where are you going?"  Kanna asked.

            "Don't tell me you're chickening out!  Well…I really can't blame you…" Sumire said.

            "No, I'm not leaving," Ohgami said, his voice somewhat tense, "I'm going outside."

            "What do you think you're doing?  That's like going out to the firing squad!"  Yoneda screamed.

            "I know, but I have to take the risk.  This man is up to something, and I intend to find out."

            "But, Ohgami-han, won't you at least go out in your Kobu?" Kohran suggested.

            "I don't think we don't stand a chance even in our Kobus.  Let's not waste them," He calmly said.

            "But Ohgami-san…" Sakura said worriedly.  Ohgami turned to them and smiled.

            "It's ok, everybody.  I'll be ok.  Stay here until I get back."

            Then he faced the door again.

            "Besides…I feel like he's calling me…"

            Then he went out and closed the door behind him, leaving everyone in stunned disbelief.

            _"Good…you finally came out."_

_            "So…it is you.  I thought I'd see you again someday.  I didn't expect you to be bring along a pack of Wakijis."_

            Ohgami was facing the cloaked man outside the Teigeki.  Ohgami was strangely calm, despite the numerous Wakijis towering around him, all armed and ready to kill.  The cloaked man was still the same, dressed in a torn cloak with one hand with red long nails sticking out.

            "What do you want?"

            "_I only desire one thing, Ichiro.  The destruction of the imperial capital is my main goal."_

_            "Then why just stand here?  Why not initiate your attack?"  Ohgami asked, calmly and coolly._

            "_I intend to defeat my first obstacle.  The Hanagumi."_

_            "Then why the Wakiji's?  You seem to be able to take on all of us by yourself."_

            "_They are to insure that you will not flee."_

            "Then why just you, then?_"_

            "_Because I want to give you all a chance to defeat me…no matter how bleak your chances may be."_

            "Fine," Ohgami said, drawing out two katanas from their sheaths, "Let's go."

            "_Where are your comrades?  I want to destroy the whole unit, not just their leader."_

_            "You'll have to go through me first," Ohgami replied, adjusting his body into a battle stance._

            The cloaked man seemed to chuckle.  "_I hope you know that what you're doing is not brave.  It's stupid."_

_            "I know, but I took a vow to protect them, and I keep my promises."_

            "_Heh.  What a weak foolish little man you are, making this irrational decision…it seems that your unit thinks the same thing."_

            He was startled at that remark, and was about to launch an attack when he heard rapid footsteps coming from behind.  He looked back, and saw the Hanagumi going to him.  Even Iris was with them.

            "Minna…"

            "What were you thinking, Taichou?!  Don't pull off a stupid martyr act!" Kanna said, putting her fists on the ready.

            "Kanna's correct.  We won't allow you to die!" Maria said, readying her gun.

            "Onii-chan, we'll fight with you until the end!" Iris exclaimed.

            "Ohgami-han, we're a team, remember?!  Teamwork is essential for victory, ya!" Kohran said, preparing her rocket launcher.

            "Chuui, allow us to fight with you!  The Hanagumi are ready for battle!"  Sumire said, readying her naginata.

            "Ohgami-san!  Let's fight this madman and win!" Sakura said, unsheathing Arataka, the holy blade of the Shinguji family.

            "Minna…arigato gozaimas!  Haja no Jin!  NOW!" Ohgami ordered.

Ohgami moved out of the way as the six girls formed into the shape of a pentagon.  Kanna was at the front, Sumire and Iris were at the sides, Maria and Kohran, were at the back, and Sakura was at the center.  The Haja No Jin, or the Formation Of Repulsing Evil, was formulated by Ohgami to create a powerful repulsing force against dark powers.  They were to shuffle along the corners of the pentagon when the situation deemed it, but they never broke the formation.  They were to keep the formation intact to maintain a steady flow of powerful energy.

Unfortunately, Ohgami couldn't join the formation, since his own spiritual energy was too weak.  It needed powerful energy to make it work, and the girls all left him far behind in terms of power.  But that didn't stop him from joining the fight.

            "Iris…marionette!" Iris shouted, and a bright yellow glow emanated from her, seeping into the Hanagumi, increasing their powers.

            "Let's go!"  Ohgami screamed, and they lunged to attack.

            However, the cloaked man wasn't as intimidated as they thought he would.  He was still standing on where he was, not moving a single inch.

            _"Weak," was what he said before waving his hand._

            Then suddenly, the ground cracked below the Hanagumi, causing them to stop.  Then almost instantly a huge pillar of hot violet energy shot up from where they stood, engulfing the whole Hanagumi.  It felt like they were inside lava; it was immensely hot, seemingly burning their skin and insides.  They screamed in intense pain, and when the violet column dissipated, they stumbled to the ground, smoke rising from their still forms.

            "_Is this all the Hanagumi has to offer?  I expected more," the cloaked man said.  Then he pointed at Kanna.  "__You there.  You can stand up, can you?  Show me the pride of your Ruukyu Kirishima Karate and let's see if you are worth my effort."_

            Kanna struggled to stand up, her shaking legs to their limits.  She was able to, however, and put her fists back up.  A small yellow glow radiated from her.

            _"Kanna Kirishima."_

_            "Bakayaro!  I'm not finished yet…I'll make you pay!" she screamed, and with her remaining power, she lunged at him._

            "Kanna!  No!" Ohgami screamed.

            She jumped high, readying her fist, and crashed it on the ground in front of him.

            "SUPER RINPAI!"  She screamed, and almost at once, the ground beneath the cloaked man shattered, and a column of flames burst out of the hole, enveloping the cloaked man in searing flames.

            "Heh, that'll teach ya!"

            But with a wave of his hand, the flames died out, leaving the man unscathed and unperturbed.  

            "_Pathetic."_

            Then his single white hand, now clenched, launched a barrage of lightning-fast punches, hitting Kanna's body with the force of a steamroller.  With each hit, bones broke, and her body festered with bruises.  Then, as a final attack, he unleashed an uppercut so powerful, a sonic boom was created and Kanna was sent flying, blood trailing, into a wall of the Teigeki, breaking it, and burying Kanna under a pile of debris.

            "KANNA-SAN!"  Sakura screamed hopelessly, as she struggled to stand up, but stumbled.

            "You…you madman!  You will pay with your life!"  Maria shouted, now standing up, and aimed her gun at the cloaked man's head.

            "_Maria Tachibana… or should I say, Kuassary…" _

_            "Don't ever call me by that name!  DIE!  Cherypoyka!"  Maria screamed, and fired.  Her bullet was covered with icy blue aura resembling a young girl.  The bullet left a trail of ice as it flew at extreme velocity._

            "_Foolish."  And even before the ice bullet could hit him, it had already melted, merely spraying him with a small jet of water._

            "What?!  NO!"  She continued to fire five more bullets, all with the same effect as the first one, and unfortunately, all with the same results.  They all melted before they could reach the cloaked man,

            "_Weak…"_

_            And he opened his deathly white hand, and a small ball of violet energy shot out at such an intense speed that it was almost invisible.  But, it hit its mark, however, as it plunged itself into her stomach._

            "_More."_

_            And indeed, more violet orbs were let loose, battering Maria's poor battered body like cannonballs.  And as the last violet orb hit, Maria, bloodied and broken, stumbled down._

            "MARIA-SAN!"  Sakura screamed, as Maria's face crashed into the broken floor.

            Weakly, she said, as she lapsed into darkness, "Sumire…now…"

            The remaining Hanagumi looked, and saw that Sumire was gone.  Their gazes went back to the cloaked man, and were surprised immensely as they saw a thin metal blade thrust through him.

            "Sumire-kun!"  Ohgami exclaimed, seeing Sumire at the man's back, her naginata's blade plunged into the cloaked man's body.

            "You fool…you let your guard down when you fought Maria-san.  Now, I'm sure that you're defeated," Sumire said, twisting her weapon.

            "_Heh…devious, aren't you, Sumire Kanzaki?  But your puny efforts will be for naught," he eerily said, as he grasped the naginata blade and pushed it back out the back._

            "What?!  Aren't you hurt at all?  Are you even HUMAN?!"  Sumire demanded, her weapon shaking under her touch.

            "_I am beyond that," was his answer._

            Sumire, desperate, launched a series of attacks, which were all deftly eluded by him.  It ended when it DID hit him, slashing through his cloak.

            "YES!"

            "_No."_

            The cloak mended itself as fast as Sumire had slashed it.  But the oddest part was, he did not even bleed.

            "You're not bleeding…what are you?!"  Sumire screamed, backing away, her naginata dropping on the ground.

            "_Death incarnate."_

            And he lunged at her, his nails slashing into her, cutting her fine skin and clothes.  Blood spurted as each wound was made, and Sumire screamed helplessly as the final attack was made: a strong backhand, sending Sumire flying into a tree, breaking it, then crashing down on the floor, her blood seeping out of her.

            "SUMIRE-SAN!"  Sakura screamed.

            "_The Hanagumi, dropping like flies…is this all the Imperial Capital has to offer?"_

_            "Eat this, ya!"_

            And with Kohran's scream, a volley of rockets streaked the air and bombarded the cloaked man in a series of wild, strong explosions.  When one was emptied, she took the next rocket launcher she had brought and fired another volley, exploding in violent blasts.

            She had gone through four launchers and she was out of ammo.  She was breathing heavily, her glasses almost falling off.  She was covered with soot.

            "Did that do it?"

            The place was filled with thick smoke, making it hard to see what happened to the cloaked man.

            After a few moments, the smoke lifted.

            The ground was littered with craters and holes.  The ground was cracked so badly, it was if it had experienced an earthquake.  Everything in the vicinity was reduced to rubble.

            Except for the cloaked man who was still standing in the center.  He had sustained no damage.  There wasn't a single burn on his cloak.

            "Sou na ya!  This can't be!  No one could have survived that!" Kohran said, shaking her head in disbelief.

            _"Stupid and pathetic.  Ri Kohran, you have no chance," he said, and launched an attack similar to what he had done to Maria, but this time, each orb exploded.  It burned her, it broke her, it made her bleed, and as Kohran, her glasses broken, stumbled down, a single, last orb was sent, and it exploded in a much larger explosion, sending her flying high up into the air, crashing on the roof of the Teigeki._

            "KOHRAN!!!"

            "_Your fate is sealed.  You will all die this day," he said._

            Ohgami stood up, his eyes burning with intense anger.  His teeth were clenched, his body tense, his hands gripping the katanas so tight the handles engraved themselves into his skin.            

            "You…you will pay for this!"

            He lunged into the fray, his twin blades menacing, and his eyes were dark with hatred.  

            "_I have no time for worms…later."_

            And with a simple hand movement, he was sent flying into a tree.  His body crashed hard, his grip on his weapons faltering.  His weapons fell, as did he.  He was slightly battered, his bones slightly cracked, but still awake.

            The cloaked man now faced the two remaning Hanagumi: Sakura and Iris.  Iris hid behind Sakura as the swordswoman readied her blade.  The blade shook in her grip, but she held it even tighter.  This was not the best time to be nervous.

            "_Sakura Shinguji.  Your father caused my brethren a great deal of pain.  You will die just as he died: weak, pathetic, forgotten."_

_            She shook her head, and screamed, "My father is not weak, not pathetic and is not forgotten!  He is one of the greatest heroes of the Imperial Capital!"_

            "_No matter.  You will die, soon, but the little girl, Iris, first."_

_            "No, leave Iris out of this!"  Sakura demanded, but it was futile.  He had already sent a small violet ray, which shot clear through Sakura's leg, and through Iris' small body.  Both stumbled down, both yelped in pain, but only Iris remained still._

            "Iris!  IRIS!  Speak to me, IRIS!!!!" Sakura screamed, tears flowing down her cheeks as she shook the frail body of Iris.  Her eyes were open, and her mouth was slightly open, too but her whole body was rigid.

            She did not reply to Sakura's hopeless screams.  She just kept staring into the sky.

            "Iris…YOU!" She screamed hoarsely, facing the cloaked man.  Her hand went back to Arataka and gripped it tight.  "You…you murderer!  I'll never forgive you!  NEVER!!"

            She lunged for an attack, but it was weak, since her leg was damaged.  All her attacks were weak and desperate, and both of them knew this.  The cloaked man kept eluding them all, laughing all the way.

            _"What a weak, pathetic fool you are…you can't even fight well."_

_            "SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!!!" she screamed, releasing more futile attacks.  The cloaked man eluded her last attack and gripped Sakura's sword._

            "_Weak…" was all he said before throwing Arataka away.  After that, his hand clutched Sakura's throat, his grip becoming tighter by the second._

            "_I will crush and squeeze the life out of you, weakling.  And all of you will become sacrifices to the destruction of the Imperial Capital."_

            "SAKURA-KUN!!"

            Ohgami lunged himself at the cloaked man, and slashed him repeatedly.  But none of his attacks were effective; it was as if he was cutting through air.

            "Let her go, damn you!  Let Sakura-kun go!!"

            "_Away with you…"_

_            And Ohgami was sent flying again to the same tree.  His katanas flung out of his reach, and he felt his bones break.  Yet, he tried to stand up, and ran back to the fray._

            "_I've no time for weaklings…" he said, and Ohgami crashed back to the tree._

            As Ohgami tried to stand up, he then realized that it was useless.  No matter how many times he stood up, he would just fall down again.  His efforts, no matter how desperate they may be, would always end up futile.  He was not strong enough.

            Then, the cloaked man laughed a sickening, hoarse laugh, as his hand almost crushed Sakura's throat.  Sakura was becoming blue, and she slowly looked at Ohgami, and mouthed, "Taskete…"

            "SAKURA-KUN!!!"  He screamed desperately.

            "_HAHAHAHAHA!  Watch, Ohgami Ichiro, as I kill the one you care for the most!"_

_            "Yamero…"_

            "_You are weak, and you are foolish!  Watch her die!"_

_            "Yamero!"_

            "_You swore to keep your promise, and you have failed, Ichiro!"_

_            "YAMERO!"_

            "_Her breathing grows fainter, Ichiro.  Yet, she still mumbles your name."_

_            "YAMERO, KISAMA!!!"_

            "_All of you are weak.  All of you deserve to die."_

_            "YAMERO!!!"_

            _"Not one you will survive… even you, Shinguji, as I snuff your worthless life out."_

_            "YAMERO!!!!!!"_

            Then, it snapped.

            The cloaked man threw Sakura away, weak and rigid.  His attention was now on Ohgami.  This was what he was waiting for.

            "YOU WILL DIE!!!!"

            Then, all of a sudden, a dark black aura burst from Ohgami's body.  It enveloped him, feeding him with power beyond his imagination.  His short black spiky hair instantly grew long as his power rose.  His power was so immense, the nearby Wakijis exploded by just looking at Ohgami, who was screaming his lungs out as he was engulfed with the new black power.

            _"The time has finally come," the cloaked man mumbled, with a hint of satisfaction in his voice._

            "DIE!!!"

            And with Ohgami's scream, multitudes of black rays streamed forth from Ohgami's large jet-black colored aura.  All of the rays sprayed down on the cloaked man, tearing and burning it apart, leaving nothing but a burning cinder.  The rays strayed into the pack of Wakijis, who exploded at the rays' slightest touch.  Not a single Wakiji survived as Ohgami's energy attack completely decimated the enemy.

            Even the cloaked man was destroyed.  Whatever was inside was obliterated, and all that remained was a burning piece of his cloak.

            But his attack did not stop there.  His black rays continued to wreak havoc, straying into the city and into the buildings.  Buildings and houses were split apart and destroyed.  Roads broke away as fissures created by the rays cracked the land.  Any person that came in contact to the rays was burned to a crisp.

            Soon, his energy ran out, and Ohgami, his long black hair falling down his shoulders, stumbled into the ground, unconscious.

            And around him, the battlefield smelt strongly of death, as Wakiji blood was everywhere, flooding the area around the Teigeki.  Nothing around the Teigeki was spared.  It was almost like a graveyard.

            "What in God's name just happened?" Yoneda said, seeing the decimated battlefield on the monitor.

            "Well, we won, that's for sure.  I never thought Ohgami-kun could pull off something like that," Ayame replied.

            "I bet he never knew himself.  Kasumi-kun, Tsubaki-kun, Ayame-kun, call the hospital, and have the Hanagumi taken care of.  Meanwhile, you put them back in here so that they'll be safe."

            "Yes, commander!" And they ran off.

            "Sir, I think you may want to see this," Yuri said, calling the commander.  Yoneda was quick to reply.

            "What is it?" he said as he approached her.

            "Well, sir, didn't I tell you earlier that single unit had immense power?"

            "Yes, what about it?"

            "Well, Ohgami, in that single moment, was instantly more powerful than that cloaked man."

            "WHAT?!"

            "But the strangest thing is, Ohgami showed the same energy signature as the cloaked man!  It was if they had they same aura!"

            Yoneda looked back at the screen, and saw Ohgami, with long black hair, being carried off.  He had changed drastically, and his power, aside from becoming more powerful, had also become darker, more evil.

            "What could this mean?  Ohgami-kun…what kind of power do you possess?"


	7. Darker Days

* * *

7. Darker Days

* * *

Ohgami Ichiro stood alone in his hospital room, looking out the window. It was raining hard outside, and once in a while, a thunderbolt would break the dark sky. The trees were swaying violently with the wind, and the raindrops fell like bullets. 

But he wasn't looking at the storm; it happened that he was just facing the window. His thoughts and concentration lapsed back into the battle, which happened only yesterday.

The cloaked man had defeated the whole Hanagumi. Each of them fought bravely, but proved no match for the immense power of their enemy. Each of them was severely injured, but luckily, Ohgami found out only a few moments ago that they were going to be okay.

But the strangest thing was, even though Ohgami, too, fought in the battle, and got injured too, he left the battle unscathed. There wasn't a single scratch on his entire body. His bones were healed. His bruises were gone. It was as if he was invulnerable.

But he remembered the pain that he experienced. He felt his bones break, his flesh rip, his blood spill. He remembered being flung to that accursed tree several times, feeling his body crack under the powerful force.

But even Yoneda confirmed that when he was found lying on the battlefield, his hair longer than before, he wasn't wounded or bruised at all. It was as if he healed after the battle.

Thinking about that, now he wasn't sure what really happened in the battle.

He brushed his hand through his hair, which was returned to its usual style. It was odd that his hair would instantly grow long in the battle, and he wouldn't even believe it until Yoneda showed him his cut off hair.

And he wouldn't even believe it that he alone had destroyed the cloaked man and the entire Wakiji army. He remembered nothing after seeing Sakura being strangled. After he yelled "STOP IT!" everything was black. His memory skipped from the battle to the present, which was the hospital room. He tried so hard to remember but nothing seemed to come up in his mind.

But he told himself that he shouldn't mind these things. The important thing is, the battle is over, and they survived. 

First things first, he decided, so he chose to check up on the girls, to see how they're doing. He could think up of other things later once he knew that the girls were all right.

So he stood up with ease and left the room, going all the way to the reception desk.

"Er, excuse me," Ohgami asked, " Where could I find the hospital room for the Hanagumi?"

The receptionist, a tired old nurse with her hair tied up in a bun, looked at Ohgami for a while. Her eyes strayed from his face down to his wrist. She then pointed at it and said, "Shouldn't you be in your room?"

"Huh?" Ohgami responded, then looked at where she was pointing. She wasn't pointing at the wrist, he realized, but on the nametag around it. In clean, inked, handwritten letters was his name, "Ohgami Ichiro."

"Oh, I don't need to, really," he replied, "I'm okay now. See?" He started to flex his arms a bit.

"Hmm," she murmured, scanning at him with an appraising look on her face, "You do seem to be okay."

"Yes!"

"Now, who's room was it again?" the kindly nurse asked.

"The Hanagumi," he answered.

"Well, let's see now," she said, while skimming through files and folders, until she drew out one folder, and read through it. "Ah, here it is," she said. She wrote down the room number on a small slip of paper and handed it to Ohgami.

"Here you go. A word of advice, though. I saw those girls being brought in and they looked like they were in bad shape. A little peace and quiet would do them good."

"Hai," was his reply.

"Well, off you go now," she said, weakly smiling.

"Thank you, Mrs. Maeda!" And he bolted off.

Later, it dawned to him that he had never met that nurse before, and yet, he already knew her name. Even more, he also already knew that she was married. The realization stopped Ohgami's fast feet for a while, to pause, but after a few minutes, went on running again. 

He had already dismissed the thought. Ohgami might have taken a glance on her nametag or ID card, and read her name. The only way to know a complete stranger's name without the aid of any clue would have been to have read his or her mind, and he was sure that he was unable to do that. The only people who could do that were people like Setsuna, the sadistic little boy who aided Satan Aoi. The only people who could were from the dark side.

A few minutes later, he reached the room's door. Quietly, he opened it.

And his eyes shot open.

The room was oddly very noisy and lively, contradicting to the quiet image Ohgami had in mind. Kanna and Sumire were arguing again, calling each other names, while threatening to bash each other's skulls with their crutches. Maria was reading a book quietly. Sakura, Kohran, and Iris were playing a game of hanafuda. 

All this happened with their bandages on, and some even had their arms in a cast. Despite their injuries, they were acting pretty normal. 

__

Thank God, Ohgami thought, and entered the room.

"Oi! Taichou! Ya came just in time! Sumire here's gonna throw her bedpan at me!" Kanna shouted, while deftly avoiding a flying shoe.

"Kanna-san, will you do me a favor and SHUT UP!?" Sumire demanded, then her attention shifted to Ohgami almost instantly, "Konnichiwa, Chuui! How are you?"

"Taichou, I'm glad that you are well," Maria said.

"Onii-chan's okay! Iris is so glad!" Iris exclaimed, dropping all her cards to cover her reddening face.

"Ohgami-han! It's nice of you to drop by, ya! These two are bad players," she said, pointing at Sakura and Iris, "I need a challenge, ya!"

"Kohran, that's not a nice thing to say! Ohgami-san, welcome back! Are you okay?" Sakura asked, smiling radiantly.

Ohgami was overwhelmed at the barrage, but he replied bashfully, "I'm okay. I'm glad everybody's doing okay, though. I thought the worst had happened…"

"Taichou, don't worry! We're stronger than you expect! Ouch!" Kanna gasped, as she accidentally raised her arm with a cast.

"But I have to ask, Taichou, you seem to be doing very well. What kind of treatment did they give you?" Maria asked, somewhat amazed at Ohgami's condition. She was expecting him to have, at least, an arm with a cast.

"Well, it's kinda like…shihainin?" Ohgami almost jumped when a wrinkly hand suddenly slapped his shoulder.

"Hey, Ohgami-kun, you look well! But these girls need their rest! You can come back later," he said.

He saluted and said, "Sir, yes, sir!" 

Then he faced the girls, "Minna, sorry I have to leave so soon, but I promise to come back later!"

After leaving the room, which was still full of noise, Ohgami walked with Yoneda's slow pace down the corridor of the hospital. He observed that the commander had a grim look on his face and the captain thought that he might know what he was thinking.

"Sir, if it's what happened on that battle, I really don't know. I can't even remember leaving it," Ohgami said.

Yoneda shook his head, saying, "But it's odd, Ohgami-kun. I can't get it out of my mind. How could you have left the war without any wounds? And where did your power come from? Yuri-kun said that when your power surfaced, your energies surpassed the cloaked man's energy!"

"S-surpassed?!" Ohgami couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"Surpassed. The readings show that when your hair grew longer and your aura manifested, your spiritual power grew at an exponentially rapid rate. It grew stronger until you exceeded your enemy. And you defeated him too, plus his whole Wakiji army!"

"But…Shihainin, you know that I don't have that much power! If I had, I would've been able to join the Haja No Jin!"

Yoneda nodded his head. "Hai, I know. Even now, I can't feel the same power you used at the battle. It seems to be dormant now."

Ohgami was starting to feel unsure of his new "power." "Was there anyone else who was hurt?"

"Honestly, many buildings were destroyed and many were killed by your sudden burst of power. But don't worry. Everybody is pointing fingers at the cloaked man. After all, he did start the siege."

"S-sir…what do you make of it? What do you think happened to me?" Ohgami asked nervously.

"Ohgami-kun…honestly, I have no idea."

* * *

It had only been a few minutes since Yoneda left the hospital to return to the Teigeki. Ohgami had already said his goodbye to him, and the Taichou then returned to his hospital room, which was barely needed for him now. This was reserved for patients, and he knew that he wasn't in the condition to be one.

But anyway, he slumped down on his creaky bed and sighed. He felt miserable. The girls were probably doing all those things so that he won't feel so bad. But in truth, they were probably hurting inside as well. 

When he took this job of becoming their Taichou, he made it his top priority to safeguard them, despite the dangers of war. He tried and tried to do everything safe for them, fighting with them, but he lacked one thing, which could have helped him protect them.

That was power.

If only he was stronger, if only he had more spiritual energy, then they wouldn't be in this situation. But it kept ending up with the girls protecting him. Their powerful energies always left him behind. They were powerful when combined, and he felt that he was nothing more than a hindrance.

He was weak; he admitted it. So what if he could run all over a beach with heavy stone sandals? So what if he could fight well with two katanas? So what if he was a strong aggressor in a fight? So what if he came up with the Formation to Repulse Evil?

At first he thought he was strong. He could fight well then. He was smart in devising strategies. But seeing the girls being crushed and destroyed by that cloaked man, made him realize that that wasn't enough. He needed more power to protect them. Seeing Sakura being strangled made him realize how weak and helpless he was. He had to have more power. He'd do anything to gain that power.

"_You already have it."_

Ohgami looked around, and saw that no one was in the room besides him.

"_The power to protect."_

"Who are you?"

"_A friend. Trust me. You already have enough power to protect those girls."_

"What do you mean?" He was beginning to become eager.

__

"Just now, you were able to read the mind of that nurse. That's a sign of your increasing power. Before that, you were able to defeat a whole Wakiji army and that cloaked man. Also, you completely healed after the battle. Now, isn't that a sign of your true power?"

"But, I don't know how to use it."

"_You will, in time. Just listen to me. The girls will be protected. Sakura will not be harmed."_

"Sakura-kun…"

"_Your power will soon rise to be the most powerful energy the world will face. No one can defeat you. You will never be left behind, because you are always on top."_

"Really?"  
  
"_Yes. You can finally protect the people you care for."_

"Then teach me."

* * *

Soon after, Ohgami had left the hospital, first saying good-bye to the girls, who all had to stay for a few more days. On Kasumi's car, he went back home to the Teigeki, the playhouse and base of operations of the Teikoku Kagekidan. Then, without stopping anywhere else, he headed straight for the dojo.

He put on his karate gi, did a few stretching exercises first, and then he faced a punching bag.

And his training began. He pummeled the punching bag with strong, lightning-fast punches and kicks. His movements were fluid, like one step led to another, then another. It was almost like a dance, where every timed movement was crucial, and Ohgami was fighting so smoothly, that no move hindered the other, and all were unleashed with unyielding force.

In a few moments, the punching bag was riddled with dents. A small seam had already burst, with sand seeping out.

"Not yet!" He muttered, and then leapt into the air and did a powerful roundhouse kick, utterly destroying the punching bag. Sand burst everywhere as the canvas was buried under piles of sand.

His hands and feet were red after that. His arms ached when he moved them, and his legs found it hard to walk.

But his determination was stronger. He went to another punching bag.

"Again!"

And this continued for the rest of the morning. He briefly stopped to eat lunch, and then returned to the dojo, this time with two katanas, one in each hand. A practice dummy was prepared, its wooden humanoid body stuffed with straw.

Then, he began again. Like his previous training, each blow was delivered perfectly, and linked to the next. The swords never clashed against one another, and his movements changed from high, to medium, then to low. The wood broke into splinters with each slash, and after the training, the dummy was nothing more than a suspended heap of wood.

And again, he was not yet satisfied. Bringing up his swords, he slashed downwards with extreme force, splitting the dummy into four pieces, and then while the pieces were in mid-air, he began a rapid succession of slashes. His hands were almost like a blur as the blunt wooden swords minced and diced the wooden pieces.

He stopped, and a pile of perfect wooden cubes fell on the floor. He sliced and diced a whole dummy with two katanas.

And still, he wasn't satisfied.

"AGAIN!!"

* * *

At first, it seemed to Yoneda and Ayame that Ohgami's intensive training was beneficial. Working day and night, building up his body and technique, stopping only to eat and sleep, Ohgami was indeed becoming stronger. Such a training regimen was hard to keep up with, and it needed firm dedication.

But as the hours and days passed, they were getting worried. Ohgami was putting himself into torture, it seemed. His body was beyond his limits, but Ohgami pushed himself to train harder and harder until his sweat fell like rain, and his breathing was ragged and dangerously hoarse.

"Ohgami-kun," Yoneda said, watching Ohgami thrash another punching bag, "That's the twenty-fifth bag you're going to destroy."

He did not answer, keeping up his combination of attacks perfect and seamless.

"Don't you think that this is going a little too far? I know this training is good for you, but if you keep pushing your body like this…" but his last words were drowned out as the punching bag was again, obliterated.

Ohgami stood up straight, and breathed deep. Then, he faced the next bag.

"I don't need your pity," he muttered, and continued his thrashing.

"It's not pity! It's concern, Ohgami-kun! You're killing yourself by doing this," Yoneda exclaimed, watching another bag being beaten.

"I don't need that, either. What matters is that I become stronger," he muttered, as his fist plunged right through the punching bag.

And that was the end of their conversation. Yoneda concluded that there was nothing to stop him, and relied on one thing to stop him: fatigue.

But not even fatigue could stop Ohgami's training. He never seemed to run out of stamina, despite the harsh exercises he had put himself through. It was either adamant commitment or utter madness that was keeping his energy up.

And Ohgami had gone through it for a whole week straight. He only stopped to eat and sleep, and when he did eat, he ate alone. 

Ohgami was also becoming increasingly aloof. He rarely talked to anybody these past few days, and the only sounds that came out of his mouth was grunts, his breathing, and his battle cries. His daily schedule was to eat, train, train, train, eat, train, train, eat, train, train, and finally, sleep. And no one, not even the commander, stopped him.

Even the Hanagumi, who had just returned, was suspecting that something was wrong. Kanna, the strongest in terms of physical strength, confessed that even she couldn't go through Ohgami's training. It was as if Ohgami had changed completely.

As bad as it already was, his harshness to himself rubbed off on them during virtual Kobu training. Although they did fairly well during training, Ohgami demanded more from them. He wanted them to exceed their limits, to be far stronger than they already were. And he was going to keep pushing them non-stop until they did. 

"I…I'm tired…Ohgami-san, let's rest, first," Sakura suggested, taking off her goggles to rub her red eyes. Her back hurt and her hands were stiff from all the Kobu handling.

"Sakura-han's right, Ohgami-han! We're exhausted, ya!" Kohran added.

Ohgami's reply was simple, but harsh. "Keep going."

"D-demo!" Sakura protested.

"My orders are absolute, Sakura! Do as I say!" Ohgami screamed, his voice steaming with fury. What made it worse, the volume of his voice was multiplied because he was at the control booth.

"H-h-hai! Sumimasen!" Sakura apologized, and reluctantly put back her virtual goggles, Kohran following suit.

"The Kobu won't last from all this pressure…how can we?" Kohran muttered, which was barely audible. 

And somehow, Ohgami heard, all the way from the control booth. "Kohran, if you have any objections to my commands, I'll be happy to strip you of your rank and send you back to Hanayashiki as a car mechanic. Do you understand?"

Kohran shut up and started to train again.

Soon, their energy levels were dropping like flies. At first, their power was at their usual maximum, but only after a few hours, they were at an all time low. Their eyes were blurry, their bodies were sore, and they badly needed rest.

But Ohgami was obdurate. He wouldn't let them stop until they could improve, and unfortunately, at their current condition, they couldn't even lift a finger.

A scared Tsubaki, who had been watching them being tortured, reported to Yoneda what was happening. And indeed, Yoneda was furious. After being asked by Tsubaki not to reveal who spilled the beans, Yoneda went to the virtual training room.

"Stop this, at once!" Yoneda ordered Ohgami, but the captain kept looking at the meters and screens, showing the girls' bleak statistics.

"I suppose Tsubaki told you?" Ohgami calmly said, without facing him.

Yoneda was startled a bit, surprised that Ohgami knew, but regained his resolve and shouted, "This is too much, Ohgami-kun! I don't know about you, but the girls are tired! Let them rest!"

As cold as ice, he replied, "Shire, this is for their benefit. I'm not sending them into war just to die."

"But your methods are way too harsh!" Yoneda protested, "Your old training regimen was already enough and it effectively did the job! But this is more than necessary. This isn't training, Ohgami-kun, but torture!"

Then Ohgami faced Yoneda, with eyes cold like ice, and said, "Then I won't lead a band of weaklings whose sole purpose is to go out and get themselves killed. Excuse me, but I'm wasting my time."

With that, Ohgami left the room. Yoneda immediately ordered the girls to stop training.

"Haa…I'm exhausted!" Kanna shouted hoarsely, "I never had this much training even back in Okinawa. This is agonizing!"

"Something is wrong with the Taichou," Maria said, wiping her forehead, "He's not his usual self."

"Something's wrong with Chuui, all right! He's a damn psycho, that's for sure!" Sumire shouted exasperatedly.

But Sakura knew Maria was right. Ohgami was not himself, like somebody else replaced him with a terrible slave driver. 

As Sakura, with trembling legs, climbed down, she went to see how Iris was.

And she was startled to see her still sitting, squeezing Jean-Paul so much, some of its stuffing was seeping out of the seams. 

"Iris? Doushita?" she soothingly said, stroking her smooth blond hair.

The little girl said, "Sakura…something's wrong with Onii-chan… he's not himself…Iris can feel it…he's so scary…he's not Onii-chan…Onii-chan is gentle and kind…not this mad person…"

"Iris…"

"Iris is so afraid…so scared…what happened to the real Onii-chan?" She muttered, her sobbing becoming quieter.

"I don't know, Iris…I don't know."

* * *

After putting Iris to bed, Sakura headed to her own room and after dressing into her nightgown, slumped down on her bed. Exhaustion caught up to her as she felt her body become so heavy when she lied down. 

But despite the fatigue, her mind was somewhere else. She kept replaying what Iris had just said a few hours ago.

"What happened to the real onii-chan?"

She was determined to know what happened to Ohgami. Perhaps it might have been some kind of side effect of their last battle, or a late effect from when the time he was stabbed at Ueno. Whatever reason it may be, she wanted to find out.

Why? It's because she's terribly worried about him.

Never had Ohgami been so harsh and cold. Sure, he was a bit scary when he wanted to train them on the Formation, but this was way too much. He was driving them to the edge, pushing them to their limits. 

And since when did Ohgami care about power? All he ever cared about was teamwork and proper synchronization with the Kobu, not being strong. He once believed that no one needed to be strong as long as there was someone to help. But now, his philosophy was reversed. Be strong, or be trampled.

She had to do something. She had to find out why Ohgami was acting like this. She had to turn him back into his usual self. 

Sakura terribly missed the old Ohgami.

"Ohgami-san…" she murmured, as she slowly scurried under the covers. There were traces of sadness and worry in her voice. She closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep.

* * *

The next day almost passed too quickly without any training to do. It seemed like Ohgami had forsaken the team, regarding them as weak cowards, and had resolved to just train himself. As usual, he only stopped to eat, and as night came, he returned to the dojo with two wooden katanas he had retrieved from his room.

And to his hidden surprise, he found Sakura there, holding one wooden katana in her hand.

"What're you doing here?" Ohgami asked almost exasperatedly.

She just pointed the dummy sword at him. "Ohgami-san, I challenge you."

He seemed amused, but it faded all too quickly. "Get out of here, Sakura. This is my training time."

"Ohgami-san, I demand that you accept my challenge," Sakura said, her sword unwavering.

His dark, cold eyes seemed to examine Sakura, who remained adamant about her challenge. He had this intimidating expression on his face, but Sakura still stood silent.

"You seem confident enough," Ohgami finally said, after his observation, "Well, if you're really up to it…but don't get me wrong. I won't go easy on you."

"I wasn't expecting that. Now, let's fight," Sakura said, readying herself, her sword on the forefront. Ohgami adjusted into his battle stance, his two swords crossed.

"KIAI!!!" Ohgami screamed, and began his attack quickly. He lunged at her, both swords raised, ready to slash. Sakura, however, remained still.

He continued his attack, however. He had lost his calm; he was now an enraged berserker. 

And he brought his swords down at deadly speeds.

And Sakura moved, bringing her own sword up to deflect both attacks. Ohgami's swords were blocked when Sakura moved her sword up.

The sudden deflection sent him moving backwards, almost losing his balance. Ohgami was mildly amazed at her quick counter, but he wasn't going to be beaten by the likes of her.

He charged again, now his wooden blades in a dangerous flurry of slashes, each attack not hindering the next, each blow delivered with unfaltering power.

But despite the power of the attacks, Sakura was still able to deflect each and every attack, as if she was reading his mind.

"DAMN YOU!" Ohgami shouted, as he jumped back. He was already out of breath, and sweating. But Sakura remained on the defensive, moving only her sword and her feet.

Even more infuriated, he lunged again, delivering more attacks. But they were more likely to be desperate than effective. Again, Sakura was able to anticipate and block each and every blow.

This was her chance. With a quick movement, she thrust his left hand, making him drop his left sword, then slashed the right, dropping the right sword, then brought the sword up to his neck, but stopped it before contact. The wooden edge was dangerously close to his throat, and Ohgami was still and nervous, drops of sweat dripping down his face. 

The match was over. Sakura had won.

She put her sword away from his throat and sheathed it in her belt. Ohgami stumbled down and caught his breath.

"I…I don't understand…I've trained so hard…to be beaten BY YOU!?" It seemed like a total outrage to be beaten by Sakura.

Sakura calmly replied, "Yes, I can feel that there's so much force in your attacks. I'll admit, if one of them hit me, my bones would've shattered. But your attacks were wild, and were easy to anticipate. You relied too much on a one-blow finishing stroke.

"But even then, even if you have so much power, it's useless when it's not concentrated and used properly. Power isn't anything when you don't use it to protect and defend something you care about.

"I hope you remember that, Ohgami-san."

And with that, Sakura turned her back on him, and quietly walked out.

Then, all of a sudden, Ohgami lunged for one of the swords, and in one powerful stroke, slammed it right across Sakura's waist. Intense pain coursed through her body as she stumbled down, hoarsely screaming.

"You're too soft, Sakura! The battle is alive! You can never predict what the enemy might do, so beat him down while you're ahead!" Ohgami said hysterically, enjoying the sight of Sakura writhing on the floor, gripping her side.

"O-o-Ohgami-san…doushite…" She muttered before fainting

He was laughing like a madman, seeing Sakura falling to the ground, blood trickling down her chin. This was the way it was meant to be. Power was reserved for those deserving, no matter the cost.

Then, he stopped laughing.

Then, he dropped his sword. Realization hit him hard as he saw Sakura lying unconsciously on the floor. His heart exploded with depression, regret, and despair at the same time. His eyes widened, his knees shook, his hands were clammy, and his face was dripping with sweat.

"S-Sakura-kun…no…what have I done?" He murmured hopelessly, his voice weak and pathetic.

Then, he ran off, dwelling in his own shame, stopping only in his room.

"Oh god, Sakura-kun…what have I done…WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME!?" He screamed.

"_I did nothing, Ichiro. This is your own doing."_

"No…this is not me…I'll never hurt Sakura-kun…I'll die before I cause any harm to her."

"_Then tell me, whose hand clasped the sword and attacked Sakura?"_

"…"

"_I'm right."_

"No…stop it…stop it, please…just leave me alone…"

He opened his eyes, finding himself in a dark corner of his room, where barely any light shone. In fact, the room barely had any light at all. The windows were shut and the curtains were closed.

The room itself was a horrible mess. Tables were turned over and chairs were broken in half. A vase was broken and dying flowers were on the floor. The bed sheets were ripped by what seemed to fingers, and the mattress was ridden with holes. The window glass was shattered, and the closed curtains were ripped. Torn pieces of paper were scattered all over the room. Finally, blood was on the floor and on the walls.

Ohgami's blood.

"_No matter, she deserved it. She was weak. You were strong. That's how things work."_

"No it doesn't…Sakura-kun…"

"_You've gained so much power. It's only fitting that the weak challenge you, no matter how meaningless it may be."_

"No…stop it…"

"_That's true. The weak are jealous of the strong. That's why the weak hate the strong."_

"Stop it…"

"_They all hate you now, Ichiro, just because your aim was to become strong."_

"Please…stop it…"

"_Kohran hates you. Sumire hates you. Kanna hates you. Maria hates you. Iris hates you. Sakura hates you. Everybody hates you because you're stronger than them."_

"Please…"

"_That's why it's your fault. You slashed her from behind. She deserved it. The strong crushes the weak. It's not the other way around."_

"Please stop…"

"_I thought you wanted to protect them? You have to make them bow to you first…to acknowledge who's more powerful. Weaklings cannot take control and protect."_

"…protect?"

__

"Indeed. Or are you a weakling, yourself?"

"No…no…"

"_Then stand up and claim your power. They will all bow down to you and your dreams will come true. Power is not used to protect, Ichiro, but to destroy. Destroy your oppressors and the weak, so that you will become the sole power in this world."_

"…"

"_Only then, will they bow to you."_

"No…no…"

"_Sakura will die by your hand, because she oppressed you, and is weak."_

"NO!"

"_Claim it, and destroy…"_

"NOOOO!!!!!!!!"  
The room exploded in a powerful violet light, blowing off the walls. Dark energy started to swirl to the inside of the room, as Ohgami stood, floating in the air, as the power drove itself to him and started its transfer of power.

His hair grew long again, and his skin became deathly pale. His nails grew longer and sharper, and now had the color of crimson blood. A sleek black cloak and leather clothes replaced his old clothes, which were burned from the explosion.

The power began to swirl around the floating Ohgami; each and every tendril of dark power was absorbed into his system.

The wind calmed down as Ohgami floated softly back on the floor on his feet. He looked at his new body and he felt his new dark power.

"_This is so much better_," Ohgami said, in his usual voice, but now, it seemed like it was accompanied by a darker, deeper voice.

"_Thank you…"_

He chuckled to himself as moonlight struck him. As the pale light passed by, he slowly began to disappear.

"_Tenkai has returned."_

And he completely vanished, forgetting his burned room, his destroyed belongings, and his own memories.


	8. Waking Up From The Nightmare

* * *

8. Waking Up From the Nightmare

* * *

The next morning, Sakura was sitting on a clinic bed, looking out the window. Her side was bandaged, and though nothing was broken, it was going to leave a nasty bruise.

Her hand was absent-mindedly stroking Iris' silky golden hair. She was tired and was sleeping. She kept a watch on Sakura, which lasted all night long until she fell asleep, her head resting on her arms as she laid them on Sakura's bed.

She winced a little. The pain from her side, where Ohgami had hit her, was still there.

Though despite the pain, she was far more worried about something else. Earlier, when she had just awakened, Maria told her that Ohgami's room was burned, and that he was missing. There was no trace of his disappearance, and his room was nothing more than a hole in the wall now.

She knew that Iris was right, that there was indeed something wrong about Ohgami, that the harsh person who pushed them into extensive training wasn't Ohgami. Also, Ohgami would never attack someone from behind. He fought with all his might, but with fairness. He was an honorable warrior. So, he was out there somewhere. Wherever he was, she'd still try to discover what happened.

A few minutes later, the other Hanagumi came by to visit, and Maria had brought with her a small TV and Kohran an Interceptor, a small orb-shaped robot with pincers and a big eye in the middle.

"What's this?" Sakura asked.

"I dunno," Kanna answered, "but Maria said that she wanted us all to see what she has to show."

"Honestly, I don't even know what we have to show. You see, I was concerned about Taichou's behavior, so I asked Kohran to plant an Interceptor in his room to observe his behavior…and fortunately, this was the only one that survived when his room was burned."

"So…is this recent data?" Sumire asked.

"Ya! I only put it when Sakura-han challenged Ohgami-han," Kohran replied, "Chotto matte kudasai, while I adjust the proper channels and chroma and luma settings…" and she murmured off while she attached the Interceptor into the TV.

"Whaddaya think is Taichou like when alone, eh?" Kanna said.

"Well, for one thing, I've never been to his room before," Sumire replied.

"We can only guess…this irrational behavior of his is becoming out of hand. I think everyone agrees with me when I say that there is indeed something wrong with the Taichou," Maria said, and everyone agreed.

"I just hope that he's okay," Sakura muttered.

"If there is something wrong with him, Sakura-san, I think we'll just have to straighten up this issue, won't we? Though I won't be reliant on your help…you'll probably just mess things up, as usual," Sumire replied.

"H-hai…" Sakura timidly replied, falling victim again to Sumire's poisonous tongue.

"Oy, oy, Sumire, that's enough," Kanna requested, but she still went on.

"I think it's all your fault, Sakura," she said, to the shock of everyone in the room, "It all started on that date, didn't it? The day he got hurt…well, I think I can see who started this all."

"H-hai."

"Sumire, that's enough," Kanna muttered warningly.

"I heard you say that you asked him to go with you to Ueno Park, didn't you? That was where he was attacked, didn't he? If only you didn't become all bold to ask him, maybe this wouldn't have happened, wouldn't it, Sakura-san?"

"H-hai…" Her throat was beginning to hurt.

"Sumire. One more word out of you and there won't be anything left of you to sweep the floor with," Kanna threatened, and Sumire shut up. Though she had always fought and talked back to Kanna, her tone was indeed intimidating.

Then, Kanna whispered to Sakura's ear, "Oy, oy, don't feel bad. Sumire's just as worried as you are. She's just picking on you to let off some steam."

"Hai."

"Lighten up, ok? The Taichou's gonna be okay, you'll see," Kanna said cheerfully, then winked at her. Sakura couldn't help but smile too. A weak smile, but a smile nonetheless. 

"Hai," She replied.

"Okay, it's set. Does anyone want to wake up Iris? She might want to see this thing. Sorry, but the audio's broken," Kohran replied, and Sakura gently shook Iris to wake up. She awoke with heavy eyes.

"Sakura?" She murmured, "Daijobu?"

"Of course I am! You were with me," She replied, and Iris blushed a bit, "But open up your eyes. Kohran has something to show us."

Rubbing her eyes with balled fists, she tried to focus her vision as Kohran turned on the TV.

3.

2.

1.

All of them gasped.

On the screen was Ohgami's room before its ruin. When they saw it in full detail, they suddenly realized that they actually preferred looking at its destroyed version.

"Ma…Masaka…" Maria muttered.

"Onii-chan…" Iris mumbled, her voice weak.

Tables were upturned, chairs were broken, bed sheets were ripped, and the mattress was ridden with holes. The glass of the windows was shattered, and the curtains were shredded. But what shocked them the most was the blood on the walls and on the floor. It seemed like the blood was still wet, for some of it was still dripping.

Then Ohgami burst in, shutting the door immediately behind him. He was sweating hard, and his hand was on his face. It looked like he was screaming something.

"Kohran, couldn't you fix the sound?" Sumire demanded, straining her ears to hear something.

"Gomen, but I can't!" Kohran muttered exasperatedly.

Then, he seemed to have calmed down, as he slid down the floor. His eyes wept and his hands kept punching his own forehead. His mouth kept moving, as if he was talking to somebody.

"No…no, I can't watch this…" Sakura said, wanting to shut her eyes. But some force inside her wanted her to keep watching.

What was odd was how his mouth movements changed. At first it seemed like he was whimpering, then it shifted into a loud, commanding expression, then back, then back and forth. 

"Is he talking to himself?" Kanna wondered.

"There's no one else in the room! What else can it be!?" Sumire replied angrily.

Then Ohgami struggled to stand up, using the wall as a support. Then, he clutched his own body, struggling with it, as if trying to keep something inside. He was screaming now. 

"O-Ohgami-san…what's wrong…."

Then, the violet flash occurred, swallowing everything in purple energy. Everything that it touched instantly burst into flames, and the room was soon engulfed in powerful flames.

They couldn't see where Ohgami was in the screen, because all they could see was a powerful violet light. But as the light weakened, gradually disappearing, the room was charred black, and small wisps of flames, burnt wood, and charcoal were the only remnants of the room.

But they weren't looking at that. Rather, they were staring at Ohgami.

"What…what happened!?" Maria demanded.

His hair had grown longer and his skin had gone deathly pale. His nails were long, sharp and crimson. His old clothes are gone, replaced by a black cloak and a leather suit.

But what scared them the most were his eyes. They weren't the usual black anymore, but bloody red.

He talked to himself more, and then as moonlight passed him, he gradually vanished.

Then the footage ended.

The Hanagumi were in stunned silence. Nothing could have prepared them for what they just saw. It was beyond comprehension at the time, and neither one of them wanted to understand it further.

"O-oh…" Sakura began to speak, but it was swallowed by the deafening alarms of an oncoming battle.

* * *

"NANI?!"

Yoneda cleared his throat before replying, "It's true. Your next enemy is Ichiro Ohgami-kun."

Sumire laughed in her high-pitched tone, saying, "Now, now, Shihainin, this is not the time for jokes!"

Seeing that these girls weren't going to believe a word he was going to say, Yoneda went to the control panel and flipped a switch, turning on the monitor.

The reception was blurry, but it was adequate enough to shock the Hanagumi.

Black demons, larger than Wakiji, now roamed the capital, destroying everything in their path. They had no eyes. Their fangs glistened with blood and saliva. Their claws smashed everything they touched. Huge black wings lifted them up in the sky, circling the sky like vultures, feeding on the dying Imperial Capital.

And in the middle of it all, was Ohgami, commanding the demons to slaughter every person they come across, and to smash every building that came their way.

"Sou na…" Sakura muttered, seeing Ohgami relish in the destruction of the Imperial Capital.

Waiting for the information to sink in, Yoneda then explained, "The monsters are the Wakiji of the Teikoku Rikogun Taikouma Butai, my unit years ago. In my opinion, they are fiercer than the Wakiji. They are the Kouma." 

Then he added, "Also, Ohgami-kun doesn't call himself Ohgami-kun anymore. A while ago, he proclaimed that he was Tenkai."

"T-Tenkai!? The Reverend in Black!?" Kanna exclaimed in disbelief.

"No, this can't be! Chuui would never be someone like Tenkai!" Sumire said, still staring at his deathly white face, and his wide smile.

"And Satan Aoi wasn't unable to release Tenkai from the fifth sealing rock. How could this have happened?" Sakura added.

Kohran then replied, "Minna…maybe I can clear things up…"

All looked at Kohran, who had a grave expression on her face. She seemed to have come to a bad realization.

"What is it, Kohran?" Yoneda urged.

"Well…I think Ohgami-han was possessed by Tenkai."

"What makes you say that?" Sakura asked.

"Well…I think most of you know now that Satan Aoi used Wakiji blood as a sort of weakening agent for the sealing rocks. Wakiji blood contained all the grudges and anger of mankind, and it weakened sealing rocks. All that was needed next was a well-placed strike in order to destroy the rock completely.

"Do you remember the time when I told you that there was a lone Wakiji barring the path of the delivery route? I think it was on its way to the fifth rock, probably delayed by something. Well, I was sent to take care of it, and we did, but it exploded, and Wakiji parts was sent everywhere," Kohran explained. 

"So you're saying that some of the Wakiji guts landed on the rock?" Kanna asked, and to her dismay, Kohran nodded.

"Ya…and everyone knows that Satan Aoi may have already done damage to it, but it wasn't enough to break it. We may have added to the damage by fighting Satan Aoi right in front of the rock. All it needed then was just some Wakiji blood to complete the last ritual of releasing Tenkai."

"Then why go through all the trouble of possessing the Taichou? I thought he was much stronger than Satan Aoi, that he was capable of destroying the Imperial Capital," Maria inquired.

"The ritual was probably incomplete," Yoneda answered, "Without Satan Aoi to destroy the stone completely, and without the proper incantations…Tenkai was prematurely released from the seal, probably resulting in his weakened state."

"So he needed a strong body with enough power," Sumire concluded, but then added.

Then Maria asked the inevitable question. "Then…is the Taichou dead?"

Everyone was shocked by Maria's question, but Kohran steeled herself and said, "I'm not sure…but maybe if we had more time, maybe we could find a way to get Tenkai out of his body, then Ohgami-han would be returned to normal."

"So there is hope!" Sakura gladly exclaimed, but Kohran's expression was still grim.

"Sakura-han, I'm not sure. This is only my speculation, but if Ohgami's soul was already obliterated when Tenkai took over, then exorcising Tenkai will only produce a soulless body."

All of them fell back into silence, considering the gravity of their situation. They were confused, and didn't know what to do. 

"We can't answer this yet, but one thing's clear," Yoneda's voice was strained, but still strict, "The primary objective is to eliminate Ohgami-kun."

Sakura immediately protested, "What?! We can't do that!"

Yoneda was obstinate. His face was severe, and he uttered, "The safety of the Imperial Capital is our top priority. We must eliminate Ohgami… no, Tenkai at all costs."

"But if Kohran is right, that Ohgami is indeed possessed by Tenkai, shouldn't we try and save him?" Sakura retorted, her voice growing more furious.

"Do you think Tenkai will stop and allow you to defeat him? NO!" Yoneda screamed, "We don't have that precious opportunity! Tenkai will be relentless and should be stopped immediately!"

"Demo, Shihainin!" Sakura pleaded, but it reached deaf ears.

"Teikoku Kagekidan, Hanagumi, your order is to eliminate Tenkai. Go to your Kobus and move out! NOW!""

Everyone hesitantly saluted, save Sakura, who said, "There has to be some other way! There has to be! I'll never harm Ohgami-san…Never!"

Then, Sumire, her face twisting into an angry frown, approached Sakura, and slapped her. The sound was deafening, as it echoed in the command room. Every person was shut up by Sumire's act.

Her cheek red, Sakura looked at Sumire, who was fuming. "S-sumire-san…you too?" 

"Sakura-san," she began, in an extremely irritated voice, "Our orders are already given! The safety of the Imperial capital is our primary priority! If we fail, all that we have worked for will be for nothing!

"This is not the time to be weak, Sakura-san! Even as we speak, the Imperial Capital is being destroyed and we must try and save it, even if it means killing Chuui!"

That hit a chord in Sakura. Her teeth grit and her fists clenched as Sumire continued.

"I really can't believe that you ever reached our ranks. You are so impudent! You are so weak! Why won't you act? You are only a damn hindrance to us! Honestly, I can't believe that Chuui would go for a spineless, weak girl like you!"

Sumire began to turn away when Sakura suddenly lunged at her, roughly grabbed her shoulder, turned her around, and slapped her. She was more surprised than in pain, as she stared at Sakura in disbelief.

Sakura, however, was furious. "I have had it up to here with you! I have been constantly under your heel for the past year, and I think I can sincerely say that I have had enough of your venomous tongue!

"You may be richer than me, you may be more popular than me, you may be more beautiful than me, but I'm glad that I'd don't have your damned pride! You always look down on others, failing to see who YOU are! Why don't you take a look at the mirror, and see how a snake really resembles you?!"

Kanna was about to laugh when she stopped herself. This was not the time to laugh, and there was no telling how and when these two are going to stop.

"I don't know about you, Sumire-san, but I CARE about Ohgami-san! I'm not as battle-hungry as you are, always willing to show off in battle, even to the point of getting yourself killed! I'll never hurt Ohgami-san! NEVER! Don't you even care about him!? Are you really that quick to forget!?"

"IDIOT!" Sumire shouted, shocking the whole group and immediately silencing Sakura. "If you care so much about Chuui, then you'd see that he'd rather die than see the Imperial Capital in ruin!"

Sakura really shut up after that. Sumire was right, she realized, but she wasn't going to admit that so easily. She had her own pride.

"Maybe you don't see it, but I know that Chuui would hate it if he was going down without a fight, and being possessed like this is not a good idea for him!

"I'll hurt him if I have to, defeat him if I have to, if it means that I can save him from falling into that fate! Don't you think that Chuui would like it if Tenkai were defeated? I know that he'd like it if fighting him means saving the Imperial capital and ourselves."

Sakura was quick to retaliate. "So, are you really going out there to fight with him? Even if there was a slight chance of saving him, would you still go?"

"I certainly wouldn't, but Sakura-san, do you think we have that chance now? Do you? If we had, I wouldn't, but now, we don't! We have to do what's best now, and that is to defeat Tenkai!"

Sumire was becoming pale, and her fists clenched and unclenched. She found it hard to speak, but continued. 

"I'm sure…that Chuui would want us to do this. He's a brave, caring man, I know. I know that he'd rather die before he will hurt us…"

Sakura was shocked when she heard that, but Sumire, seeing her reaction, said, "I know it sounds selfish, but do you remember the time at Kanzaki Heavy Industry? When he wanted to be left behind so that he could defeat Setsuna and Rasetsu, so that the Shogei-maru could fly?"

"Yes," Sakura replied, not seeing where this was going.

"He was going to fight two of Satan Aoi's most powerful allies by himself. It was lucky that Yuichi Kayama was with him, but still, if it became necessary, do you think Chuui would sacrifice himself, so that we could go to the last sealing rock?"

Sakura didn't know what to say. Sumire kept on, straining her voice.

"Yes, I believe he will, because…because he wanted us to win. Because he knew that the fate of the Imperial Capital rested on our hands. Because he'd rather die than see us fail to protect the Capital. He wanted us to be safe, or…or die protecting us."

A chorus of gasps that faded into silence. Sumire, however, continued.

"And now, he's doing what he LEAST wants to do, and that's destroying what we strived to protect. Do you think that he wouldn't regret what he was doing? NO! He'd die rather than destroy the Capital…he'd rather die than hurt us…"

Her voice was weak, barely audible, but she managed to scream out, "He'd die rather than hurt YOU, Sakura-san!"

And for the first time, Sumire, in front of the Hanagumi, broke down and cried.

No one, not even Maria, who was the first of the Hanagumi, had seen Sumire cry. Sumire Kanzaki was a proud person who was careful not to show her feelings. But this was very contradictory.

Sakura was at a loss of words. All she could manage was, "Sumire-san…"

Sumire, in between sobs, continued, "It's true…I really like Chuui. Ever since he tried to help me regain my self-confidence, ever since he helped me whenever I felt so down… I felt…I felt that I found someone I could really love…but, Chuui only has eyes for you, Sakura-san!

"You said I may be richer than you, more popular than you, more beautiful than you, but you have something I will never, ever have. I lost him to you…because you were more open to him, expressive of your feelings. You genuinely cared for him…whereas I kept my feelings to myself, but see where it led me…"

Sakura felt tears rise up to her eyes, but before they could even fall, Sumire said, "Why are you weeping? We've always been rivals, Sakura-san, but you've won this round."

She briskly stood up, wiped away her tears with a brush of her hand, and headed for the Kobu Hangar. She said as she went, "If I can't have Chuui, then at least, I'd want him to be happy, in whatever way possible. And being possessed by some demon is not a happy thing!"

She opened the door and slammed it behind her. Her footsteps slowly faded away.

Everybody was shocked by Sumire's sudden declaration, especially Sakura. She had never dreamed that Sumire would explode like this, but nevertheless, she taught her a valuable lesson.

"Sumire-san…you're right… Ohgami-san wouldn't like it if he was bound like this…so…"

She chased after Sumire, followed by the others, all prepared to take on the battle. Sakura was smiling, despite their grave situation.

"I will save Ohgami-san, no matter what it takes! If I have to battle, so be it, and by my sword, Arataka, I will do it!"


	9. Down To The Last Drop

* * *

9. Down To The Last Drop

* * *

Moving out in the Kobus, and already in the Haja no Jin, they left the Teigeki's premises, with Maria in the lead.

"Yoneda-shire," she muttered through her communicator, "What's the current status of the Imperial Capital?"

His voice was somewhat weak and broken up, but still audible and understandable. "Be careful! The Kouma have split up into five groups with three units each, and are dispersed throughout the Imperial Capital."

"Where is the Taichou…I mean, Tenkai?"

"There's no sign of him, but that doesn't matter now! You should eliminate the Kouma as quickly as possible! You should split up!"

Maria protested, "But that would break up the Haja No Jin!"

Yoneda replied, "You haven't faced Kouma before, so I'll tell you what they can do. They're just big, ugly Wakiji without the armor and with wings! They don't use weapons, but they can smash just about anything with their bare fists! But here's the trick: you should finish them off quick before all the Kouma can combine!"

She asked, "What would happen if they combined?"

"Then we're all doomed. The last time it happened, it was nearly unstoppable. It took the Majinki and Kazuma Shinguji's life to stop it."

Maria slightly winched when she heard him reply. Better not tell this to Sakura because she might have nervous breakdowns or something.

"Understood, we'll break up and kill the Kouma as fast as possible. Over and out!" Then she turned off the channel, and switched it over to the Hanagumi. "Minna, listen up! The Kouma are the same as the Wakiji, with the difference that they can fly! But the key here is quickness! We should dispose of them as quickly as possible before they combine, or we're all doomed. So, we'll have to split up."

Kohran looked at her radar, seeing the scattered blips, and said, "But, Maria-han, they're scattered all over the Imperial Capital! We can't defeat them without using the Haja no Jin!"

Maria replied, "We have no choice! We have to split up or else!"

Iris then replied, "Minna, go ahead! Iris will try and keep her power flowing into all of you over the long distance."

Sakura was immediately concerned. "Iris! That could be too much for you! Are you sure you could do that?"

"Yes, because Iris wants to save onii-chan!"

They all smiled when they heard Iris' reply. There was no turning back now. All that mattered now were Ohgami's rescue and the safety of the Imperial Capital, and they all trusted in Iris' confidence.

"All right!" Maria said, "Teikoku Kagekidan, SANJOU!"

* * *

Kanna Kirishima was excited. Her body was tingling. A wide smile was on her face. Her fingers eagerly maneuvered the Kobu. Her feet couldn't stop swinging.

She was going to the battle of her life, and she couldn't help but feel excited. This was going to be exciting and challenging for her, and this would be the perfect opportunity to see how she was going to deal with the demons that destroyed the Imperial Capital long ago.

"Yoshi! I'll break all of you into half! I'm gonna kick all yer asses! Man!" She eagerly muttered to herself, her smile becoming toothier by the minute.

Soon enough, her visuals showed three Kouma destroying buildings with their bare claws. They all looked the same, with glistening black skin, with long limbs and huge black wings. They had no eyes, no nose, and no ears, only a sharp-toothed mouth and a gigantic brain that sloped down their craning necks. There were just as big as the Kobu, but far more ugly.

"Aaah! All of you look so damn ugly! That just gives me more reason to beat the crap outta you! IKUZE!!!"

Its steam thrusters on the max and its hover jets primed, the red Kobu lunged at the Kouma, its glistening steel claws ready to attack. The Kouma were surprised by Kanna's attack.

She charged at one of them, thrusting her claws at the thick legs. Green blood spurt out and bone was broken, but that wasn't all until the claws popped from the Kobu's fists, ultimately cutting the foot off. Blood spurt out from the demon as it whined, falling on the broken ground.

The Kouma screamed, watching as Kanna plunged her claw into the Kouma's brain, the claw popping again, the gray matter exploding. Angered, the two remaining Kouma flapped their wings and charged at the crimson Kobu. 

She chuckled, feeling the battle rage consume her, feeling the ecstasy of a well-fought fight. "That's it, come right in…I've got a little surprise for ya…"

The Kouma were relentless, their wide jaws opened, saliva dripping, their claws desiring to shred the red Kobu into pieces. But Kanna was not intimidated.

"Just a little closer…"

They were a few meters away now. Their roars became louder and angrier by the second.

"Come on…"

Now, a few inches parted the two Kouma from Kanna. One reared its ugly claws to deliver a powerful blow.

"NOW!"

With no second to spare, Kanna drove her claw into the ground, making cracks all over the broken concrete surface. Then, summoning all her spirit energy, she bellowed, "Ruukyu Kirishima Karate! SUPER RINPAI!"

Her powerful aura coursed downwards, into the hot, molten lava down beneath the Earth's surface. Then, with only her own power and Iris' added energy, the ground cracked apart, and a large, formidable geyser of pure molten lava shot out, completely drenching the two Kouma in extremely searing liquid fire.

Kanna backed away from the scene. The two Kouma struggled to free their burning bodies from the lava, but to no avail. In no time, they were completely smothered, burning them up, reducing them to ashes, disintegrating them. A last yelp of pain echoed, and the Kouma were turned into ghastly black energy, which soon dissipated into the air.

All the time, Kanna had a smug grin. Now, she was laughing. She had won.

* * *

Maria Tachibana silently watched the three Kouma mercilessly ravage the buildings and people that stood in their way. She observed from afar, long away from the Kouma's eyesight, if they had any. Their eyeless rage seemed to have no direction, but they still seemed to get the demolition work done. Nevertheless, she did not risk it, because foolishly exposing oneself, relying on an unconfirmed advantage was stupid and uncalculated.

After a short while, it dawned to her that these Kouma were just thrashing things around. They were attacking random things, and there seemed to be no plan of attack. Apparently, the only order that they received was to just destroy anything. They were creatures of immense strength, but no apparent brain usage.

She then devised her own plan of attack. Basing her strategy on the hypothesis that one Kouma was enough to destroy her, her long-range capability was her only advantage. She had to maintain a far enough distance from the Kouma and destroy them via her Kobu's gun. If they got close to her, she was dead.

And with that done, the black Kobu left her post. With the element of surprise on her side, she silently aimed at one Kouma's ugly head. The cross hairs locked on.

Then, she fired.

The slug lodged itself into the Kouma's exposed brain, still moving, then, ultimately shooting through the head. Blood and brain matter spilled out as it wailed in pain. It soon collapsed, death finally overtaking it.

The Kouma shrieked, seeing their comrade fall. Then, seeing a big black Kobu pointing a gun at them, they charged at her, teeth bared, claws menacing.

With no second to spare, she locked on to the next Kouma, but they kept strafing from left to right, making it hard for her to aim. They were getting nearer by the minute.

Turning on her hoverjets, she backtracked as fast as her Kobu could. But as fast as she went, the Kouma were coming in quick.

She tried to aim, but the fact that she had moving targets and that she was also moving made aiming harder. She fired a volley of shots, but it was easily avoided. The shots that did hit only nicked the Kouma's tough hide.

They might not have any orders, but they could work well on their own.

They were quickly closing the distance, their claws now only a few inches from the metal hide of the Kobu.

She had to work fast.

Firing another volley, the bullets hit squarely on the Kouma's bodies. They weren't able to avoid them at such a close distance. Their black blood dripping, they slowly fell to the ground.

Gathering her power, she screamed, "Cherypoyka!"

Once she aimed her gun, she fired once again, but this time, instead of the usual bullets, a ghostly icy blue maiden was launched. Her pale blue face and body made contact with the Kouma, instantly coating their bleeding hides with thick layers of ice. The temperature dropped as their bodies turned rigid, an early rigor mortis. They were completely frozen, encased in a chamber of ice.

Then, they crashed into the ground, skidding violently into a halt. Chunks of Kouma flesh and limbs were torn off as friction countered the falling Kouma. Soon, they stopped, missing limbs.

They were as good as dead, frozen in ice, but the black Kobu walked over to their seemingly lifeless bodies and watched as they just laid there, motionless, and possible dead. She wasn't taking any chances, she decided. When she did, long ago, that cost her the life of her first Taichou, her brother. No more mistakes. No more faults now. Only results.

She fired two shots for each Kouma's head. They gave out no shriek as they turned into black energy, and eventually vanished.

It was over. She rushed ahead to meet the others. 

* * *

Rocket after rocket, Kohran kept backtracking, her Kobu's hoverjets primed to their maximum, but the three monsters were too fast and too smart. They kept avoiding the fast shells, and some even grabbed it and tossed it away before it exploded. She had plenty of ammo to spare, enough to blow up half of the Imperial Capital, but if she kept missing and failing to make her mark, she might indeed blow up half of the Imperial Capital.

Conserving her ammo for now, she gave chase, letting the deranged Kouma chase her into the warehouse district of the city. The location formed a brick maze, and the seemingly countless warehouses made up its paths. She immediately ducked into one of the paths, and luckily, the Kouma didn't see her hide.

If she can't hit them head on, she might hit them when they least expect it. Dishonorable as it was, it may be the only way to defeat them, aside from rushing to them head on. That was Plan A. Plan B was to set her green Kobu into self-destruct mode, drive a stick into the pedal, and then let the machine slam itself into Kouma. That will blow them up, along with the Kobu, and probably make a gigantic crater in the warehouse district.

But she loved her machines too much, as if they were her own children. 

So Kohran picked Plan A. Her Kobu dashed further into the depths of the district, and with the help of some steel crates, made her way up onto the roof of one tough, steel lined warehouse. She drove the machine onto the roof's ledge, giving Kohran a good bird's eye view of the three Kouma, still madly looking for her.

Any minute now, the monsters would eventually decide that they could use their wings and look for her. Then, her cover would be blown. She had to work fast.

Turning off her Kobu, as the heat it produced might be sensed by the Kouma's heat-detecting brains, she opened up the hatch and jumped out, bringing her with a steel case. Opening it up, it contained highly powered explosives, the same ones the Hanagumi used to blow up a cave suspected to be a base for the enemies several months ago. One bomb could be enough to blow the three Kouma up into smithereens.

Problem was, the bomb's design was made so that it wouldn't blow up even if you put it in a fire, stomp on it, put it beside another bomb, or any other method. It would only exploded when the timer ran out. It wouldn't work like a grenade; it was more like a stick of dynamite.

She had to fix the right timing. When she threw the bomb, it should explode the moment it landed on their black, disgusting hides. 

She had five bombs and not much time. The Kouma were getting impatient. One of them was already flapping their wings in frustration.

"Okay…let's think this through…" Her brow knit in scientific thinking. "The weight of one bomb is 10 kilograms…Assuming that I can throw it at around…er…90 kilometers an hour…er…Ooooraaa! I can't base my theory on an assumption! I need solid data…er…Gravity is negative 9.80 m/s2…projectile follows a trajectory…final displacement should be zero…how much time does it take for the bomb to reach the Kouma…"

She took a glance at the Kouma. Their feet were already off the ground.

"Chikusho! No time to think! Just do it!"

She set the timer on the bomb to explode in ten seconds. Once the red blip was on and the counter was ticking, she quickly slapped it into one of the rocket launchers of the Kobu. 

10.

No time to waste, as she jumped in the Kobu, bringing the rest of the bombs with her.

9.

She started it up. Its engine hummed back to life.

8.

The Kouma' necks snapped at Kohran's direction. The heat generated by her Kobu gave off her location.

7.

With no effort, they leaped into the air.

6.

They were moving targets, but as long as they were in the blast radius, aim wasn't important.

5.

The Kouma, reaching the peak of their leap, started to flap their wings.

4.

They dived in for the kill, like a hawk hunting for fish beneath the water.

3.

But this fish had other things in mind.

2.

She pressed the button, aimed at their general center.

1.

The bomb was launched. Speeding in a high velocity, it headed straight for the Kouma, which were heading for Kohran as well.

0.

The bomb's insides sparked. Kohran primed her Kobu's steam engine for the most desperate run in her entire life.

The Kouma sensed the metal canister. An enormous amount of heat was sensed. Immediately, they tried to turn back.

She jumped.

Then, suddenly, with the force of an earthquake, the bomb exploded. Searing flames were emitted, and the Kouma were instantly incinerated, vanishing into black energy. The powerful shockwave was intense, as it scraped the metal roofs right off the buildings and sent anything in its vicinity flying.

It didn't even spare Kohran, as she was flung from the warehouse district right back into the city. She crashed into a fountain. There wasn't enough water to break the fall, sadly.

Inside, however, Kohran had a smug smile on her freckled face. She'd be able to repair whatever was wrong with her Kobu in a jiffy. All that mattered now was that she won.

* * *

A few minutes ago, Sumire Kanzaki just gave the performance she would never, ever forget. Preparing the best lines, fixing the proper expression, that was the best impromptu play she had ever acted in. Everyone was shocked, especially Sakura. Not only did she do everything right, she had gotten a powerful audience impact. But Sumire knew that that wasn't a play. Everything about it was real. About her feelings for Ohgami was real. About her loss to Sakura was real. 

She had won so many achievements, gotten so many things in her 16-year old life. She had won the praise of all the citizens of the Imperial Capital, had immense popularity, was blessed with beauty and a good upbringing, anything any normal girl would die for.

But she lost what mattered most to her to a simple country bumpkin who was afraid of lightning and was horrible in plays. She lost to a girl whom she had detested ever since her arrival to the Teigeki. 

But it never occurred to her why she was so mad at Sakura Shinguji. At first, it was only natural since she thought she had the privilege of doing so, seeing herself as Sakura's superior in everything, from good looks to acting.

But now she knew. Sakura was a complete opposite of Sumire. She saw what seemed to be so bad for her actually did good things for Sakura. Sakura was more cheerful and open-minded than Sumire, while Sumire had no problems about speaking her mind, no matter how good or bad it might be. Sakura did her best when she had someone to look up to and follow, while Sumire always wanted to be on top. They were the two sides of the same coin, but Sumire wanted to see herself on top when the coin fell.

It just happened, she guessed, that Ohgami had a liking for someone like Sakura. Why did she like Ohgami in the first place? For one thing, when he was around, she always felt good about herself. Ohgami was the first one to give her back her self-confidence when she felt down. He was the one who calmed her down when her frustrations were on high. He always had the right things to say whenever she needed someone to listen to her problems. An ideal man.

But Sumire had now decided that there still were plenty of fish in the sea. It just so happened that one, big, truly desirable fish just got away. THE fish, probably.

So she wasn't going to let this bring her down. Chuui would be disappointed if he would see her like this.

And now, when three Kouma were in front of her, claws ready to tear and teeth ready to bite, she decided that she wasn't going to lose to these ugly freaks. Her purple Kobu, her naginata, and her own determination were going to see to that. This was just another obstacle that she would slice, dice, and trample.

"KIAAAAAAA!" She screamed, launching herself into the fray.

* * *

Iris was alone in her yellow Kobu, silently letting her power flow into her teammates. She breathed slowly, not becoming too anxious or too excited. She had to stay calm, or the flow of her power might get cut.

She had telepathic contact with the other Hanagumi. She had watched Kanna, Maria and Kohran destroy the Kouma. In fact, she had recently watched Sumire fight and win.

Around her, there was an air of disturbing silence. No sounds of battle, no screams of pain, but there was only this deafening quiescence. There were no songs of birds, any wind ruffling leaves, nor chatter of people. Only dead silence.

But she was used to this. She was used to this dead silence. She was used to hearing only her breathing and her own thoughts. This was nothing new.

The first years of her 10-year childhood life were spent locked up in her room, back in France. Afraid of her extremely powerful psychic powers, her parents deemed it best for her to be restrained in her room so that she wouldn't cause harm to others. Then, she had no full grasp of her powers yet, but her skill in telekinesis was already threatening. And as the years passed by and her powers still continued to grow, so did the number of locks and safety measures to keep her inside.

It was not an idyllic childhood. She was alone, with no one to talk to and no one to play with. She usually resorted to making her stuffed toys move with her mind, but in the end, she was just talking to herself. With no friends to be with, and with no parents to love her, Iris was lonely, though lonely couldn't even begin to describe her isolation. But that all ended a few years ago, when a Japanese woman named Ayame Fujieda entered her room and asked her to join an elite team of warriors and actresses in Japan.

"You'll have teammates, people who will care for you and shed tears with you," Ayame once said.

"Teammates?"

And she left her room, her manor, and boarded the first ship to Japan. Destination: The Imperial Capital, The Teigeki.

And as she spent those months with five other older girls and one older boy, she learned how it is to finally belong to a group who actually loves and cares for her. They always tried their best to make each member happy, like a real family. What she missed those years in her prison in France, she finally experienced in Japan. Even if it were a badly made birthday dinner consisting of red carp, squid, and rice cakes, a horrible birthday party with a paper dragon and a bad dance act, or anything else, it was the thought that counted, and Iris couldn't be happier. At least she was finally with people who genuinely cared for her.

And now, when one of them was in danger, she would do anything to help that person out. And that person now was her beloved Onii-chan. Despite the grave situation, Iris was not giving up, after what her friends had done for her after those months together. She would do anything, no matter what it took.

And as her tiny body started to weaken and beads of sweat tricked down her smooth face, her determination only became stronger.

* * *

"Kiaa!"

Sakura had dealt the final blow to one Kouma. Her Kobu's katana was lodged deep into the monster's head, and once she pulled it out, it let out one final scream before completely dissipating into the air, like its previous fallen comrades.

She was panting heavily. The Kouma were fearsome, no doubt, but she had the skill and the luck to defeat them.

But she shook her head, shaking off the delusions of victory. This was far from over. So what if she defeated a trio of Kouma? The worst was still up ahead. No doubt, HE was already waiting for her.

Ever since she launched her initial attack, she felt a nagging feeling, like something that wanted to pull her somewhere else, somewhere far from the battle. It was like she was being summoned.

And it stopped, now as she defeated the last Kouma. She had apparently made it to where she was supposed to go.

Ueno Park.

Where it all began.

The carnation pink blooms were showering around her like rain. The wind was strong, and the temperature was cool. The sun was nowhere to be seen, probably hidden behind the towering buildings of the Imperial Capital. The sky was gray, and it seemed like it was going to rain.

Then, memories began to seep in her conscious, flooding her every thought out. Memories of her first meetings with Ohgami, her months with him, as subordinate and captain, as friends, her visit to Sendai with him, their first date, everything came in like an uncontrolled tidal wave. Her determination began to falter, for along with those memories came the guilt, of not being able to protect him.

"No…no…not now…" She shook her head, clearing her brain. This was not the time for tears or guilt. She had a mission to do, and that was to defend the Imperial Capital.

Pushing a button, pulling a lever, she directed her Kobu to walk, deeper into the cherry blossom haze. 

Then, as the minutes passed and the wind died down, her sensors caught a massive amount of dark energy, to her northwest. 

"There…I'll finish this, once and for all."

Readying the katana, her Kobu silently walked onwards, to the northwest. The cherry blossoms were falling, and the wind was quiet. Nothing made a sound except the Kobu's large footsteps and the thumping of Sakura's heart. 

She made her way to fairly small clearing, with a dirt road and a flight of stairs. A few benches lined the road. It was somewhat dark, since there were more cherry blossoms here than the last place.

Then, her sensors picked up something. She turned on the monitor to see what.

A small girl was running. There was glee in her face, like she was playing tag with her friends.

"Eh…what's a child doing here? It's dangerous here!"

She briskly walked over to the child, when suddenly, she tripped, crashing into the ground. She sped up.

But then, she stopped. Someone was already helping the child up. Two, in fact.

A man dressed in a naval uniform, with spiked black hair and a woman wearing a pink kimono and a ribbon in her hair, plus a sword strapped to her belt, carefully helped the kid up. The woman dusted the girl's clothes, and the man helped her stand up. Thanking them, she went on her merry little way, disappearing into the trees.

Sakura took a closer look. This whole thing was oddly familiar.

She zoomed in on the woman. She looked familiar to her. The pink kimono, the ribbon, the sword…everything. Then, she realized that the woman was…

"Me? That girl's me? What's going on?" Sakura muttered, confused.

The dialogue between them was audible enough to be picked by Sakura's sensors. She heard them and was shocked by what she heard.

"That uniform!"

"Yes?"

"Are…are you Ensign Ohgami Ichiro?"

"Yes, I am."

"I thought so! I'm supposed to pick you up!"

"Oh…are you…a…member?"

"Hai! I'm a new member myself…so, let me take you to the Teigeki, then.""Hai. Arigato gozaimas, Sakura-kun."

They stood up, and side by side, walked off, slowly vanishing.

Then she just realized that they were just manifestations of her own memories with Ohgami. This was the first time they met.

"Ah…memories are sweet, aren't they? Especially those spent with loved ones, eh, Sakura-kun?"

His voice was familiar.

Then her sensors suddenly went ballistic, detecting an abnormally gigantic mass of dark energy coming from everywhere. Eventually, the sensors shattered. But the monitors showed nothing, only trees and Ueno Park.

"Where are you…Ohgami-san…iya…Tenkai?" She asked aloud.

"Why, I'm right here."

Then she heard a tap. It came from the Kobu's right shoulder. The outside camera took a look for Sakura.

There he was, casually sitting on the Kobu's shoulder. His long spiky black hair cascaded down his leather-clad body, and his crimson eyes looked past the camera, into Sakura's eyes. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Tenkai…"

"Right. Ichiro's gone, Sakura-kun. Only Tenkai remains."

He jumped off the shoulder, landing a fairly faraway distance from the Kobu. He put his feet on the ground gracefully, like an acrobat landing.

"You're either brave or foolish, Sakura-kun, to face me alone," he said, his usually calm and caring voice turned mocking and intimidating.

"Don't call me that. Only Ohgami-san calls me Sakura-kun," she answered spitefully.

He chuckled. "Right, right. Forgive my manners, Sakura-kun...er…Shinguji. This body has too many habits I need to break."

"The only thing I'm going to break is YOU, Tenkai!" Sakura screamed angrily, and priming her Kobu's jets, lunged at Tenkai, her sword menacing.

But with every slash Sakura would make, Tenkai deftly avoided them, sidestepping and flipping away as if it was second nature.

"Hold still!" Sakura demanded, making another unsuccessful strike. Tenkai landed on his feet with a tap after the last somersault.

His face was twisted into a mocking sneer. "Your Kobu is too slow. You may have won against Yamazaki's Kamui, but I am totally different."

Then, he disappeared, vanishing completely from Sakura's sensors.

And as if the wind carried his voice, he murmured, "I'm more mobile."

And in an instant, he was already in front of the pink Kobu.

"I'm much faster."

He jumped up, and slammed his palm on the Kobu's outer shell. It shook.

"And I'm much, much more powerful."

A snicker, a gasp, then from his hand came forth a gigantic purple beam of energy, completely engulfing the Kobu from head to toe. The place flashed violet as the Kobu was flung along the crest of the wave, burning and melting its metal shell. Trees burned in violet flames as the armor crashed into the ground, digging a trail as it noisily halted to a stop.

"So, how's that?" Tenkai mocked.

When the steam and smoke cleared, it showed what was left of the wrecked Kobu. Its front was completely destroyed, some of its metal parts melted and dripped down the sides like heavy mercury. No doubt the engine too was destroyed, and the systems inside were most likely smashed as well.

Inside, amidst the beyond-repair control panels and the burning cockpit, there was no pilot.

"Eh?" Tenkai mumbled.

"KIAAAAAA!"

It was an attack from above. Sakura, with Arataka ready, slashed downward, bringing the full force of the katana and her own body weight, amplified by her own spiritual energy, down with the blade.

If it were successful, it could slice Tenkai in two."Not fast enough," he murmured.

Then, he whipped out a katana and blocked Sakura's attack. The blades locked into each other in an exchange of powerful energy. Ueno Park was illuminated in vivid purple and pink lights, and bolts of energy shot out from the conflict, burning up more trees and scorching the ground.

__

He's strong…better back off, first.

She brought her sword up, removing the exchange, landed, and jumped a short distance away.

"Going away so soon, Shinguji?"

Sakura muttered, "I haven't begun to fight, you monster."

He snickered. "Then let's begin, shall we?"

He drew out his other katana and adjusted himself into a nittoryu stance, the exact same as Ohgami's, which was a double-weapon style of fighting. There was plenty of offensive capability, but it lacked defense unless the latter was prioritized, then the fighter had a nigh impenetrable defense, but not much offense. Therefore, any nittoryu fighter could only concentrate on one aspect of the style, and must swap when necessary.

__

If he fights like Ohgami-san, then I'll just have to attack when his guard's down. That's when he's on the offensive.

"Just to let you know," Tenkai proudly said aloud, "I'm improved the nittoryu. You won't break through my offensive, and you won't see my guard down. When this is all through, I won't even have a scratch and you'll be all diced up into tiny pieces, Shinguji."

__

What?! Can he read minds?

He smiled. "Yes, I can read your mind, you idiot. That means I can anticipate your every move because I'll know ahead what you're up to."

Then and there, Sakura decided that this was not the time to think of a battle plan, because Tenkai would just pull it out of her mind and read it like an open book. She would have to act on pure fighting instinct, let the battle become alive, flowing on its own, and she'd have to win too.

That made things even more difficult. Sakura was used to thinking of what move is best. She was a calculating fighter, not a raging berserker.

"Shall we begin, Shinguji?"

He had a mocking smile, and she had a determined look. None were intimidated, but Tenkai seemed sure that he would be the victor in this battle.

But she had to win, for Ohgami's, and probably the Imperial Capital's safety. 

"Hajime," he announced.

Sakura was the first to attack, lunging forward and slashing downward in high speed. Tenkai, however, merely sidestepped to safety and his right-hand blade sliced, right at Sakura's face. But Sakura quickly brought up Arataka to block. The blades collided with a clang.

"Ha!" She shouted.

"Not yet," he murmured.

Tenkai's free hand quickly made a thrust, right for her heart. Sakura saw it too late, however. As she attempted to jump to safety, Tenkai's blade pierced right through her leg.

She fell, stumbling to the ground. Blood seeped out of her leg wound. She clutched it, trying to suppress the blood and the excruciating pain. She clenched her teeth, quietly whimpered, and tried to stand up.

Tenkai, however, was laughing, pointing at her as if she was some kind of sideshow. "Is this all the Hanagumi has to offer? I'm dreadfully disappointed."

She tore a piece of her pink uniform and wrapped it around the wound. She was able to stand up, but not without struggling. The makeshift bandage's pink color around her leg was already being overlapped by crimson blood.

"I'm…I'm not done yet…I'll save Ohgami-san, no matter what it takes!" Sakura shouted.

"Good girl," Tenkai muttered, "At least your determination will make this battle a bit longer."

They charged again.

* * *

"Where's Sakura?" Maria asked.

The team except Sakura was assembled at the front of the Teigeki. They came from their own battle and were supposed to report back here. Everyone was in her Kobus.

"Maybe she isn't finished yet?" Kanna wondered.

"Iya…Sakura-san's a good fighter. If everyone else was able to finish their fights, Sakura-san should be too," Sumire answered.

Kanna was amazed by Sumire's brief display of humility when her thoughts shifted to Kohran. She pushed a button and said, "Oy, have you contacted her yet?"

"Iya," Kohran muttered, "I can't get to her. It seems that her radio's not working."

Maria then said, "I'm worried. Maybe she got caught up in something…fought something more than the Kouma."

Kanna replied, "Are you saying that Sakura might be fighting Tenkai right now?"

The Russian nodded. "Yes, it's possible."

Sumire then asked Iris, "Iris, do you have contact with Sakura-san?"

Iris shook her head. "No…Iris can't reach her…something's blocking her transmissions…"

"Then there's no need to dilly-dally here," Maria said, "Sakura may be in danger and we have to go help her. Minna, spread out and try to find her. When you do, contact the rest of us immediately! Hanagumi, SANJOU!"

Turning up the Kobus' jets, they charged back into the city.

But Iris did not move. She had something else in mind.

Pushing her psychic powers to their full extent, she made a full sweep of the city. Amplified by the Kobu's Ryoshi crystal, each and every thought surged into her brain like a mad river. She then singled out each and every mind, looking for one particular, familiar psychic signature. 

Then, it came to her. An image popped up in her mind.

Sakura was bleeding. Her arms and legs were slashed. Blood seeped out of the corner of her lips. She was breathing heavily, and could barely stand up. But she was trying her best to continue fighting.

"Sakura…"

With that, and a flash of light, the yellow Kobu vanished.

* * *

Her vision was starting to get blurry. Her breathing was ragged. She found it hard to speak. Her legs were wobbly. She barely had a grip on Arataka. She even found it difficult to keep her eyes open.

Her arms had numerous slices on them, and so were her legs. Her clothes had rips all over and blood seeped from the wounds underneath.

In short, she was losing.

But her own determination was the only force that kept her standing. Despite her injuries, she knew that she could take a lot more before she could be defeated.

With painful struggling, she brought Arataka back up again, and shifted her hurt body into her battle stance once more.

Tenkai could only laugh some more.

"And you STILL stand up? You ARE a glutton for punishment, aren't you, Shinguji?"

With a hoarse voice, Sakura replied, "I'm not done yet, you monster. I'll keep fighting until I die, Tenkai."

Then his smiling face turned into a mocking sneer.

"Then die."

Sheathing one sword, he raised his free hand and opened it. Then, a sphere of purple energy started to form, electricity surging around the violet orb. More beams of energy coming from his aura seeped into the energy, making it increase in size and power.

If Sakura took the full brunt of the blast, she would definitely be disintegrated. And they both knew this.

She had no more energy to move away. She could even barely lift her sword.

But she didn't lose hope. She was going to fight until the bitter end, down to the last drop. Gripping Arataka, she prepared herself.

_I will save you._

"Die, Shinguji."

Then, with a slight push, the orb launched itself, expanding in its flight, turning into a gigantic beam, similar to the one that destroyed Sakura's Kobu. If the machine didn't stand a chance, how would a human fare?

She didn't want to think about it. That would be being pessimistic.

It was coming closer. She could already feel the heat of the blast.

But she wasn't closing her eyes. She was going to see this through.

It became brighter. In her bloodshot eyes, the purple energy was almost white.

She could already hear its crackling, electric sound. She felt her hairs standing on an end.

Then everything went black.

"Sakura, get away!" said a small voice.

"Huh?"

"Get away!"

More on reflex than anything else, with her remaining strength, she leapt away, falling back on the ground. She winced in the pain, feeling the same torture course through her body once more. Shaking her head from the pain, her blurry eyes tried to focus on what was that saved her.

It was a bright yellow machine, with steam furiously blasting out of smokestacks from its back. Its shaking hands were stretched out, and a golden force field was trying to block the violet beam. Its feet, being pushed by the beam's force, made a trail on the earth.

It was a Kobu.

It was Iris'.

"IRIS?!" Sakura yelled.

"Sakura!" she yelled through the radio, "The Kobu can't take any more of this!"

"Jump out, Iris! Jump out right now!"

The yellow Kobu's top opened, and out came a 10-year-old French girl dressed in a yellow Hanagumi uniform and had a pink ribbon in her hair. She jumped off the Kobu, and ran straight towards Sakura.

And just in time, too. As Iris jumped off and ran, the force field fell, and the Kobu was engulfed in the purple wave. No doubt it would meet the same fate as Sakura's.

Iris ran towards Sakura, who was lying on the soft grass. "Sakura, are you okay?"

"I'll be fine…where are the others?" She hoarsely said.

"Iris sent them a message. They'll be here shortly…is that Onii-chan?" She pointed at the longhaired man, who had just put his hand back to his side. His face obviously showed irritation.

"Yes…that's Ohgami-san, possessed by Tenkai. He's more powerful than I ever imagined."

She stared at him, muttering curses under his breath, shooting daggers at his blazing right hand. His red eyes were flaring in anger, and his enraged pale face seemed to have a weak shade of pink.

"Masaka…" Iris muttered. This wasn't the Onii-chan she loved.

"Iris…we don't stand a chance against him," Sakura weakly said, "C'mon, while he's distracted, we make a break for it. We'll hide for a while and wait for the others to come."

"Hai…" Iris replied, still shocked at her Onii-chan's shocking transformation.

Using her sword as a cane and Iris as support, Sakura struggled onward, hiding behind a bunch of trees. She stumbled down once she was hidden, panting for breath. Her wounds were taking their toll.

"Sakura, daijobu desu ka?" Iris asked, concerned.

"I'll be okay."

"Hold my hands," Iris requested, and Sakura obliged.

Iris' calm yellow aura flowed into Sakura's, giving her strength. Her body seemed lighter than before, and her vision returned to normal.

"This won't heal the wounds, but it'll help stop the pain for a while."

"Arigato, Iris…"

She was going to say more words of thanks, but a scream shot into the air.

"SHINGUUUJI!!!!! Where are you hiding?! You can't stay away from me forever! Meet your fate in my blades! COME OUT, DAMN YOU!"

She heard a blast. It was probably a burst of energy from Tenkai, then the sound of several trees burning followed. Tenkai was becoming frustrated.

"Just like before…" Sakura muttered.

"What do you mean?" Iris asked.

"Remember the time when I had that nasty bruise? It was when I challenged Ohga…no, Tenkai to a duel, long before this. I defeated him, sent his sword flying. When I was leaving, he slashed me. I didn't notice it, so I got hit. Then, he went into some kind of wild rage, screaming all sorts of things, like the strong being on top or something. He was mad when he lost, and probably frustration's having the same effect."

"He feels like he lost?"

Sakura nodded. "Tenkai's probably a proud person…amplified by that dark power of his, he wants to reduce his opponents to blood and bone when he's done with them…"

Iris looked back at Tenkai from behind the tree, wildly burning down the cherry blossom trees with his purple flame, screaming out their names. "But…it's strange…."

"What is?"

"Why isn't Onii-chan doing anything about this? Why can't I feel presence anymore? I can pick up the psychic signatures of every member in the Hanagumi, but…I can't…I should still be able to pick something up even when he's unconscious or sleeping, but…."

Sakura saw Iris almost at the brink of tears. She calmly placed her hand on her shoulder.

"Iris, Ohgami-san's still alive. I want, no, I have to save him. Please, don't lose hope now."

Iris nodded, forcing a weak smile. She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

Sakura continued, "Ohgami-san…I don't know how I can say this, but he…well, he sort of…"

"Makes you feel good about yourself?"

Sakura smiled. "Yes. Every time I'm with him, I feel at peace, like I can let go of every problem that I have. I feel so secure when he's embracing me, like nothing can go wrong. I don't know if I'm being selfish, but that's how I honestly feel."

Iris placed her hand over hers. "Iris feels the same way. He's Iris' Onii-chan. Iris never knew how it's like to be in a family, since Iris was locked up in my room back in France. But when Iris joined the Hanagumi, for the first time, Iris finally knew what happiness was like. You're all part of Iris' family, and Onii-chan…he's Iris' big brother, and Iris doesn't want anything to happen to my big brother!

"Sakura! Let's do our best! For Onii-chan!" Iris exclaimed, her face showing genuine happiness and determination. Sakura could only nod.

Then, something went wrong. The temperature dropped. Her back went rigid, and chills shot up her spine. Everything seemed so cold.

Then she noticed that everything in front of her had a deep shade of violet.

"There you are."

Tenkai had found them.

No time to think. "Iris, jump!"

They had leapt out of the way just in time. The trees they used for cover were incinerated, reduced to ash. Tenkai was behind the flames, with a menacing grin on his pale face.

"Your time's up, Shinguji. Time to die."

She struggled to stand up, and almost failed, but grit teeth, a soft growl and her own courage kept her standing.

"Iris, find a place to hide. I'll do this."

Iris was about to protest, but she could see Sakura's determination. She obliged, running a short distance away from the incoming fight.

Facing Tenkai, she brought up Arataka once more. "I won't allow you to do this anymore, Tenkai. I will save Ohgami-san and defeat you, without fail!"

"Fool. All you'll accomplish is your own death."

With his mocking grin fixed on his face, he raised his hand. The same purple energy gathered once more, until it formed again to an orb-like shape. Electricity surged around it, and its light and power grew stronger by the minute.

Sakura prepared herself, gathering as much Ki as possible from her own spirit. This would fuel the last and most powerful technique of the Hokushin Ittoryu: the Haja Kensei- Ouka Hoshin.

She only used the said technique for desperate situations, and Sakura guessed that this was as desperate as desperate could get.

From the tip of her sword, a ball of pink Ki energy started to form, its powers coming from her aura. It grew in size and power, with cherry blossom petals of energy circling around it.

She felt it reach the peak of its power. It was time.

"Haja Kensei! Ouka Hoshin!"

The ball expanded, turning into a large pink beam, its trajectory directed at Tenkai. Swirls of energy twirled around the beam as it headed straight for him.

But Tenkai made his own attack, opening his palm and from it, a black beam of energy shot out. Electricity crackled around it as it made its way towards Sakura.

The two beams collided, exploding upon impact. Yet they remained stable, pushing against one another, competing to see which would be the first to fall and hit the target.

In the center of the collision, small beams of multicolored energy streamed forth and sprayed all around the area, incinerating the surroundings, turning everything to ash. The energy spent was indeed intense, for nothing was spared as Sakura and Tenkai fought in a display of spiritual power.

Tenkai was all smiles. He was not even delivering his whole power into the attack. Yet a small fraction of that power was all that he needed to properly fight with his enemy.

As for Sakura, she knew what Tenkai was thinking, and she knew that she was already giving it her all in her attack. She could already feel her arms becoming heavy, and her legs were already beginning to wobble. Her breathing was becoming faster and more ragged as each minute passed. Her power was already reaching her limits and she was nowhere near defeating Tenkai.

But her own courage and determination was all that she had left, and that steeled her resolve to stiffen her arm and legs and still give everything just to defeat him, to save Ohgami. Despite the seemingly hopeless situation, she was not giving up just yet.

Then suddenly, from behind her, a yellow beam passed by her and slammed right into the black beam, joining the fight. 

Sakura looked back, and saw Iris, her hands held up, releasing forth her energy.

"Iris! Arigato Gozaimasu!" Sakura yelled, muffled by the powerful sounds of the beams.

"Hai! Iris wants to save Onii-chan too, and Iris won't be able to do that by just sitting here!" She replied, with a smile.

Sakura nodded, and turned her attention back at the conflict. She saw the black beam only pushed back a little. She was going to need a whole lot more if she was going to win.

Then, all of a sudden, a dark blue beam shot from out of nowhere and collided with the black beam, followed only a few seconds later by a purple beam.

Sakura looked to her right. Two Kobus, black and purple, were by her side, their metal hands opened, sending forth Maria and Sumire's energy.

"Sakura-san! Let's defeat this monster!" Sumire yelled.

"Sakura, we must save Ohgami-taichou!" Maria shouted.

Sakura nodded, smiling, and looked back at the beams. Tenkai's beam was slowly being overpowered, but their combined might was not enough to completely defeat him.

Then, Sakura's radio beeped. Though the beep was barely audible under the powerful sounds created by the beams crashing, her ears caught it and flicked the switch.

"Oy! Sakura! Don't steal the show, yeah?! We all wanna piece of this beastie!" It was unmistakably Kanna's voice; her loud, boisterous voice was unique.

"All right, Kanna-san!" Sakura's spirits were lifting up.

"Sakura-han! Where's your Kobu?!" Kohran frantically demanded.

"Er…well…anou…" Kohran liked her Kobus to the point of doing everything with them, and saying that the pink one was blown to smithereens wasn't exactly cheerful.

"Daijobu, daijobu, Sakura-han! Let's just beat this guy up, save Ohgami-han and go home!"

"Hai, Kohran!" 

The red and green Kobus came by her side, gathered their aura, amplified by the Kobu's engines, and then fired their own respective beams, joining the fight.

Tenkai's grin vanished as the last remaining members of the Hanagumi joined the fight. He could feel their united force slamming, pushing against his own power.

Then his legs started to move. Looking down, he could see his feet pushing against the ground, digging a trail.

He was being pushed back.

No one had ever done that before.

"It can't be…" Tenkai muttered.

He could feel it; their combined might was slowly overpowering his.

But little did they know, Tenkai thought with a slight grin, that he was only fighting them with only a small portion of his power.

But they had the gall to try and attempt to defeat him! They had the impudence to stop his plans! Tenkai's brow knit into a frown. He was becoming frustrated, incensed by their insolence.

The only fate that they deserved was complete obliteration.

So, he unleashed more of his dark power, pushing himself to his limits. He wasn't going to lose this fight. He would make them suffer.

_Not after all I've been through…_

On the other side, the Hanagumi could feel Tenkai putting everything in his attack. Then, it dawned to them that, a few minutes ago, they were fighting with every inch of their power against a mere fraction of his.

Now what chance did they have against the full, unbridled might of Tenkai?

"Sou na," Kohran said, watching her meters on her Kobu interface go haywire, "The Kobu's engines' are overheating! The steam pressure's going over the limits! Any more abuse and the engine will explode!"

"Sakura, I can't keep up anymore…." Iris murmured, her tiny arms weakening as her effort put the strain on her.

"Iris, minna, please don't give up," Sakura pleaded, but she could feel that the little strength that remained in her tired body was starting to fade.

Her head throbbed, her vision was blurry, and she was beginning to lose consciousness. She couldn't hear anything anymore, as everything seemed to freeze. The only things that reached her ears were her own thoughts, which seemed to be louder than before. After all, with her strength almost depleted, her mind was the only thing she could concentrate on.

_No…not like this…_

Her energy attack lost its luster and form. It was fading.

_I still have so much to do…Ohgami-san…_

She could barely keep her eyes open. Her eyelids seemed heavier than anvils.

_Ohgami-san…can you hear me…_

Her knees were shaking. She had difficulty keeping her ground.

_Please…hear me out…_

She dropped, falling on her knees. She could barely lift her sword now, though it was still aimed at Tenkai.

_You were always here for me…_

Her breathing was hard and ragged. Her heart was beating furiously.

_To hold my hand…to help me up…to care…_

Her fingers were losing their grip on the hilt of Arataka.

_Help me now…taskete, onegaishimas…_

The blade's tip was moving downwards. The beam was lost.

_Ohgami-san…_

The blade dropped, thrusting into the ground.

_Ohgami-san!_

The Hanagumi's combined attack was losing against Tenkai's. They were being rapidly pushed back, now that Sakura had fallen.

_OHGAMI-SAN!_

Then, her thoughts, her desperate thoughts, exploded into a scream.

It was piercing, striking the ears of everyone in the vicinity. Despite the powerful sound created by the clashing beams, her scream was still heard. 

Tears had started to fall from her reddened eyes. Her voice was losing its power, yet she continued to scream out his name. 

Tenkai could only laugh. "How pathetic! Losing your wits at a time like this! HA! Death is too good for you! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Then suddenly, his purple beam disappeared. It dissipated, turning first into tiny violet molecules before fading into the air.

"Eh?"

With his beam gone, the Hanagumi's slashed through the air, directed at Tenkai. It engulfed him, scorching each and every part of his body. He screamed out loud in immense pain, as the beam brought him crashing through trees, splitting each and every one, until he collided into a wall. But the beam did not stop. It continued to push against him, drilling into him, like a corkscrew. He could only scream some more.

The Hanagumi's power finally expired, losing their hold on the beam. It dissipated, fading into the air. Their engines overheating, the Kobus emitted billowing steam, engulfing the park. The robots were useless now. Every circuit and part had already burned out.

Iris ran over to Sakura, who had fainted. "Sakura! Sakura! Wake up, Sakura!"

Her eyes slowly opened, to see her teammates circled around her, with victorious grins on their faces.

"Minna…did we do it?" Sakura weakly asked, trying to force a smile.

"Hai, Sakura," Maria calmly replied, handing her Arataka, "We did it. Tenkai's defeated."

Kanna helped her up, and helped her climb onto her back. "Hey, Sakura, nifty trick, you did, screaming like that! Must've scared the heck out of Tenkai!"

She gently shook her head. "No…it was all thanks to Ohgami-san."

Sumire was surprised. "Chuui? Why Chuui?"

"He heard me, helped me out, as always," Sakura said, gently smiling, "Ohgami-san helped us. He came through for us."

Tired, the Hanagumi walked through the hot steam, to where Tenkai had fallen.

"Sou na ya…." Kohran moaned, "It'll take WEEKS before the Kobu can be repaired! I have to fix the engines, replace the circuits, replace the Ryoshi crystals, repair the silsius armor, haaaa…So much to do…"

"But you can do it, Kohran!" Iris cheerfully said, "You can fix them, right?"

Kohran smiled, saying, "Mochiron! I just said it'll take weeks, but that won't mean I'll stop, nee, Sakura-han?"

She just nodded, and looked past Kanna's shoulder, past the fading steam, beyond the broken trees, at the end of the burnt trail, at the nigh-shattered wall.

Tenkai was there, on the ground. His dark clothes were torn. A scorch mark blackened his chest. Blood trickled down his lips and from his wounds.

Sakura climbed off Kanna's back, and slowly, but carefully, walked over to their fallen enemy. Aside from his body, Sakura couldn't see his face, as his long black hair covered it.

"Careful, Sakura," Maria told her, "We don't know if Tenkai's up to something or not."

"Understood," Sakura replied, and began to lift his head, parting the hair that covered his face.

His eyes were close. His bloodied mouth was slightly open. She could hear him softly inhale and exhale.

But what struck Sakura the most was that color had returned to his face. It was no longer the pale white of Tenkai's.

"Ohgami-san?" She gently whispered.

His lips moved. He was mouthing out something but no sound issued forth. She moved closer.

"Not yet…not yet…" He murmured. His voice was barely audible.

"What are you saying?" She asked.

"Sakura!" Iris called, "Is Onii-chan all right?"

"I'm not sure," Sakura replied, then faced Ohgami, "Ohgami-san? Please, I don't understand what you're saying,"

He spoke some more, his voice gradually gaining volume, "Sakura-kun, minna, it's far from over. You just knocked the wind out of him, but he's still here…inside me…"

They were beyond shock. Ohgami's words split them open like a butcher's knife.

"But I don't understand! Why is it that you're talking with us now?" Sakura demanded.

Eyes closed, he replied, "You…you made him exert all of his energy on the attack. He forgot about me entirely. He lost his hold on me, so I took the chance to stop him. I heard you, Sakura-kun, you woke me up…"

Sakura saw his tired fingers rise up from the ground, and they gently stroked her warm cheek. 

His eyes opened slowly, finally seeing the girl he had been aching to see for the longest time. "Arigato, Sakura-kun…"

She felt tears welling up in her eyes once more. She was getting that old feeling again. "I…it was nothing," She replied sheepishly.

"Demo, Sakura-kun, you still have a lot to go…Tenkai should be completely destroyed, and you should do that before he wakes up again."

His gaze strayed from Sakura, to the whole Hanagumi, who had all sat down to hear what he had to say.

"Minna…arigato, for coming…to try and save me, but there's no time…If Tenkai wakes up again, the Imperial Capital, and everything we have worked so hard for…will vanish…"

Maria asked, "Then, Taichou, what are you proposing to do?"

"It's simple, really," he said, forcing a smile, "Destroy the host of the parasite, and the parasite should die as well."

The words were, at first, incomprehensible, but when they started to sink in, so did its meaning. 

"Iya…Chuui, you aren't saying…" Sumire murmured, her face full of disbelief.

He replied, with a slight smirk, "Yeah, Sumire-kun…all of you…kill me."

* * *


	10. Parting Gifts

* * *

10. Parting Gifts

* * *

"IYA! No matter how many times you say it, I won't do it, Ohgami-san!" Sakura defiantly retorted.

Ohgami's voice had regained its strength, and he was using it full blast. "There's no other way, Sakura-kun! Even as we speak, Tenkai's waking up and there's no telling what he'll do!"

"Demo, Onii-chan! There has to be some other way to get that bad Tenkai off you!" Iris exclaimed.

"There isn't, Iris! Even if there is, there'll be no time to do it, because Tenkai would have probably reduced the Imperial Capital to dust by then," Ohgami explained.

Sakura was losing hope. She turned to Maria, who had been quiet during the whole time they were talking. "Maria-san! Please say something!"

She replied, with much grief in her voice, "I'm afraid that there isn't anything else we can do, Sakura, minna."

Sakura was shocked. She felt like Maria had left her side. She then turned to Kanna. "Kanna-san, please!"

She looked grim as well. "I hate to say this, Sakura, but Maria's right. I don't like this any better than you do, but in regards to the situation, it's bleak that we'll find anything that can free Taichou from Tenkai within the limited time."

Her words passed from ear to ear as she then turned to Kohran. "Kohran!"

The inventor was quiet. She said nothing, but the grim expression on her face told Sakura what she needed to know.

"Sakura-san, listen to me," Sumire suddenly said, surprising Sakura.

"H-hai?" She was afraid of another tongue-lashing.

"Didn't I say earlier…that we don't have the precious chance of saving Chuui now? Didn't I say that we don't have time to search for some kind of cure? If there were, by all means, we would've gone and done it, but Sakura-san…" 

She found it hard to speak. "I want to save Chuui too, Sakura-san, but we can't. Not right now. If we were just given a little more time, I really think that we would've found some kind of way to exorcise Tenkai, but we weren't.

"We can't save him, Sakura-san, but we can save the Imperial Capital…by…by…" She lost the words. She didn't want to do this.

Ohgami chuckled a bit. "Arigato, Sumire-kun."

"Sou na…chikusho…iya…iya…I can't do this…even if it means saving the Capital…oh, Ohgami-san!"

She threw herself at his arms, sobbing onto his chest. He placed his arms behind her and embraced her tight.

"Sakura-kun…Minna…I have something to tell you all."

He strained the words, finding it hard to speak, but he spoke anyway. "It…it was all my doing. I was the cause of all this, not Tenkai."

Another shock and they stared at him with questioning eyes, save Sakura. Ohgami continued.

"Me…I'm always so weak. I was assigned to the Hanagumi, because they thought I would be strong enough to lead you all, but boy, did I disappoint them. All of you, each and every one of you…you were always leading the battle, but me, I was always left behind to watch all of you risk your lives. I was always left behind doing nothing.

"I felt so helpless…I wanted to go fight with you, join you on the battlefield, but I always couldn't. I couldn't even join my own formation…The Haja No Jin, because my spiritual energy was too weak. If I join, I'd only get in the way."

His voice was beginning to become hoarse.

"I wanted more power. I wanted to become stronger. I wanted to be in the battle, to make sure that I know what's truly going on, not just watch you and wait for you. I felt like I was betraying you, letting you go off into the battle, leaving me behind," he then spat the words, "sitting pretty."

His face was full of sorrow and remorse, and his voice had strong tones of regret.

"**He** talked to me right after the fight against the cloaked man, which was actually an incomplete Tenkai. I didn't know who he was then, but I didn't care as well. I was desperate for more power. Right after all of you were severely hurt, even to the point of almost dying…"

He bit his mouth. He was finding it hard to speak, like it hurt him when he spoke. Yet he strained himself to continue.

"And I was unhurt, no wounds or bruises whatsoever, then and there I felt like I had committed the ultimate betrayal to you all. And no matter how many times I'll apologize, I'll never, EVER, forgive myself."

He spat the words again, tears now streaming down his face, crying for the first time in his life. The Hanagumi stared at their Taichou with open, bewildered and concerned at the same time. They had never imagined that Ohgami Ichiro had gone through so much without them knowing. He had already gone through so much pain. He had a heart that bled for each and every one of them, and torturing himself because of his lack of power had squeezed it dry.

They only watched further as he roughly wiped away his tears with the back of his hand.

"So I accepted, without thinking of who I was talking to, or what consequences would be entailed," he paused, taking a long, hard look at the destruction he had caused, "And that turned me into what I am now, a vessel for Tenkai's path of destruction."

He looked at them, his soldiers, his friends, his family, battered, tired, weak, all because of him.

"Gomennasai, minna. But I know that saying sorry won't bring everything I destroyed…every person I killed back. What I've done is utterly unforgivable."

He forced a pained smirk. "So, doing me in," he paused, waiting for their shock to fade. They were still surprised at how he was talking about killing him so casually, "won't only be a way to save the Imperial Capital, but it'll be…well, a kind of retribution, vengeance if you'd like, for all the pain I've caused."

Sakura lifted her face from his chest and looked at Ohgami with blue, glassy, teary eyes. Her voice full of despair, she said, "Demo…Ohgami-san…isn't…there has to be some other way…"

He gently stroked her face. "If there was, that wouldn't rid me of my guilt. Death may very well be the only saving grace for me…so…onegai, Sakura-kun…please do this for me. I don't want to destroy the Imperial Capital or hurt you, but if Tenkai has his way…I won't be able to stop him."

Maria abruptly stood up, her face colder than before. She showed no emotion as she pulled her revolver out of its holster and aimed at Ohgami's forehead. She acted like an executioner, killing because it was asked of her.

Sakura saw Maria take out her gun and was about to protest, but looking at Ohgami, she stopped. She found him smiling. Confused, she kept swerving back and forth, not knowing which she should prioritize, the Imperial Capital or Ohgami?

"Taichou, forgive me," Maria said, pulling down the hammer of her gun.

"No need to, Maria, you're only doing what you should do," Ohgami calmly replied, closing his eyes, "Hurry though…I can feel him waking up, I think he knows of our plans…"

Maria could feel it, the stare of her teammates were piercing her soul. Sweat trickled down her brow as she slid her finger inside the trigger chamber. After that, it was only a matter of time until the lethal bullet shoots out.

She shot a look at her teammates again. Their confused eyes told her that they were unsure of what they should do, whether they should try to stop her or not. In truth, she was unsure herself, but she was following orders, nothing more.

But would this be an action she wouldn't regret? She would be doing a favor for Ohgami AND for the Imperial Capital, by removing the source of their troubles. But by all means, Ohgami was a good friend to her, a comrade-in-arms. She was more than just a good soldier. She followed his every command, because she knew that his decisions would lead to a favorable outcome. She believed in him.

Now, he was commanding her to kill him. The gun was directly aimed between Ohgami's eyes. The shot would instantly kill him.

For their sake and of the Imperial Capital, he would have to die.

His death would save millions.

But, her trigger finger shook. Her hand trembled and her aim was moving.

Now, after a while, the gun seemed so heavy.

She dropped it. It fell to the burnt ground with a dull thud.

"Gomennasai, Taichou," she weakly said, stumbling on her knees, "Even if I followed your every command back then, I can't do this…I know that I'm speaking for everyone when I say that you are special to us!"

His eyes reopened and saw their eyes gaze out to him, reaching out to him, desperately finding a way to save him. It then dawned to him that no matter how desperate the situation might be, no matter how many times he would ask them; they'd never do it.

They cared for him too much.

Sakura said, her eyes glassy once more, "I don't…we don't want to lose you…"

He forced a smile. "Minna…arigatou…you've been more than my friends…you're my family…your love is all that matters…that's what gives me strength…but it's too late…please," his voice became weak and in pain, "Help me…it hurts…it hurts…"

"Ohgami-san! Are you all right? Ohgami-san!" Sakura called, trying to hold him. He was trembling madly. His eyes were shut and he was sweating profusely.

"He…he's…waking up…" He struggled to say, "Go away…GO AWAY!!"

"Ohgami-san!" Sakura shouted, but she was dragged away by Kanna. The Hanagumi ran a few meters away from Ohgami, who was still shouting like mad. He was wrestling with Tenkai, forcing him down, but it looked like he was failing.

His last defense falling, Ohgami let out a scream of despair before the dark energy burst out of him again, enveloping him, wrapping him up like a mummy. The place lit up with bright violet energy and electricity surged around his aura.

Sakura and the others watched in horror as Ohgami's aura exploded, scorching the area around him. When his violent energies calmed down, they saw on all fours, his face to the ground.

"Oh-Ohgami-san?" Sakura asked, despair a strong tone in her voice. But she knew that calling him out know would be fruitless, because as Ohgami stood up, the color in his face had faded away, and his face was twisted in mad anger.

Tenkai had returned.

"You thought you can get away from me?!" Tenkai shouted, his voice once again like Ohgami's, but it had a dark, deeper voice accompanying it. "You fools…you stupid idiots…if you had only killed Ichiro then you wouldn't have to face me one more time…you humans put so much stock in your feelings, you trust them even if doing so was futile."

"Baka!" Sakura retorted, "These kind of feelings are what make us stronger! Though it's true that there are feelings that hurt us, happiness, care, and love unites us together, no matter how bleak the situation may seem! We always have hope that things will turn out for the better, and the courage to defeat any obstacle that stands in our way!"

That only made him angrier. "Fool! That will lead you to your deaths!"

Raising his hand once more, a gigantic ball of energy instantly formed. He was laughing maniacally, saying, "This energy ball has enough power to not only destroy Ueno Park, but the entire Imperial Capital! Prepare to die!" 

There was no hope now. The Hanagumi's spiritual energies were drained, and they barely had enough strength to lift their weapons. They just watched helplessly, as the ball even grew larger and more powerful.

"TIME TO DIE, HANAGUMI!!" Tenkai screamed.

"Not so fast, Tenkai!"

Tenkai was momentarily distracted, and saw groups of black-clad ninjas suddenly surrounding him. They were armed to the teeth with guns, machine guns, rocket launchers, gatling guns, and grenades.

Yuichi Kayama was up front, aiming a semi-automatic at Tenkai, "I'll make you pay for what you did to Ohgami, you bastard! Teikoku Kagekidan, Tsukigumi, SANJOU!"

The ninjas all answered, snapping a salute, "Yokai, Taichou!"

Then the bullets, rockets, and grenades started flying, creating a metal storm directed at Tenkai. He laughed even louder, as he created a force field, deflecting the bullets. The bullets ricocheted off the field, while the rockets bounced off.

"FOOLS!" He screamed, highly amused, "Do you actually believe that your weapons will do damage to me, Tenkai?"

Kayama replied, "Maybe not, but that's just part of the plan."

"Plan?" He was slightly concerned. Slightly.

"Like we'd tell you, you idiot! Keep firing, Tsukigumi!"

The bullets kept on raining, and Tenkai maintained his field. Kayama deftly leapt through the bullets and approached the Hanagumi, all wildly bewildered.

"Minna, we're glad we came just in time!" Kayama said, taking off his cowl to reveal a toothy grin, "We had to take each and every gun that we had from our arsenal, even head to Hanayashiki for back-up weaponry, and go here!"

"Eh…anou…who're you?" Sakura asked.

"Me? Why, hasn't Ohgami introduced Yuichi Kayama, Taichou of the Tsukigumi, yet?! Why, when we exorcise him, I'll give him a good punch or two on his spiky noggin…"

Then Sakura lunged at him, grabbing his collar, "Nani!? Exorcise?! You have a plan to exorcise Ohgami-san!?"

"Urk…agh…air!"

"Ah, sumimasen!" Sakura apologized, removing her grip on his collar, "What plan!?"

He gasped, color returning to his face, "Ah, that feels good! Anyway, Yoneda-shire had something in mind, so he sent my team to distract Tenkai until he gets here. Didn't tell me what he HAD in mind, mind you. I tell you, that commander's getting old…"

Sakura and the team finally felt hopeful. "Ah, that's good news! Then we CAN bring Ohgami-san back!"

Kayama nodded. "Yeah! One more thing, Yoneda-shire said that you should save your energy. He had something planned for your part in the exorcism. Let's just hope that Yoneda-shire gets here in time. I think I left him with a bottle of sake…Whoa!"

Kayama moved his head just in time to avoid a stray bullet, taking off a few strands of his hair. "NO! Not my hair! PREPARE TO DIE!!!"

The Tsukigumi Taichou charged back into the fray, raining bullets with his semi-automatic.

Iris said, "Onii-chan has a weird choice for tomodachi…"

"Minna-san!" Sakura announced to her teammates, "Ohgami-san has a chance!"

Maria smiled. "We all heard. You were right, Sakura."

Sakura gleefully nodded. Then she watched the battle once more, watching Tenkai battle with seemingly innumerable Tsukigumi who won't stop their barrage.

_Ohgami-san, just wait…We'll bring you back…I promise!_

* * *

"Are you sure this will work, sir?"

Back in the Teigeki, Ayame and Yoneda were discussing their plans on how to exorcise the Hanagumi Taichou.

Yoneda took a sip of sake before replying, "It's a long shot. After all, their primary purpose was to remove any dark essence from any object so that forensics can examine it. Like Wakiji parts, for example."

"But an exorcism? They already have difficulty with one Wakiji, what chance do they have against Tenkai?"

He took a bigger swig. "We have to take the chance. Ayame-kun, the catalyst is an integral part of the Hanagumi, remember? We requested his promotion because not only did he have enough spiritual energy to move the white Kobu, but he had the makings of a person who can bind their hearts into one."

Ayame nodded. "Sou ka. Anyway, they've left on the Goraigo already, thanks to the Kazegumi. Let's just hope that they get there in time. Who knows what Tenkai may have in mind?"

He looked at his second-in-command, a meaningful look on his tired, wrinkled face. "You know, Ayame-kun, I'm really looking forward to the end of this long war. It's taking too long, and many lives have already been wasted. Kazuma, Shinnosuke, all the soldiers who fought and died, and now…Ohgami-kun and the Hanagumi."

She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Your children will be fine, sir. Nothing to worry about."

He gulped down another shot of sake. "I'm getting too old for this…"

* * *

"FOOLS!"

Angered by their impudence, incensed by their disrespect, furious Tenkai let out a ragged scream, and as his powerful voice lanced out, a mighty surge of energy was produced, blasting outwards, sending every Tsukigumi member in the vicinity either flying or crashing into the nearby trees.

"You will all pay the price for mocking me, hindering me from my goals!" He shouted, his dome-like blast expanding.

The Hanagumi took shelter behind some trees, shielding them from Tenkai's wrath. But they knew that it was only a matter of time until his energy reached them.

"What's taking the commander so long?!" Kanna shouted, her voice almost drowned out by the strong sound generated by Tenkai's attack, "A few more seconds and we're toast!"

Maria, taking a risk, pulled out her revolver and aimed at the almost fading figure of Tenkai, who seemed to disappear behind the energy dome. She fired a shot, but the bullet was only deflected by his power.

"There's no more time. If Yoneda-shire has something in mind, he better do it fast," Maria muttered, watching the dome expand.

Sakura's ears were ringing. The powerfully loud sound created by Tenkai's attack was nearly defeaning. The powerful electric discharge, plus the expanding energy dome had so much volume, the trees that were nearby seem to shatter when the sound waves struck them.

But behind those sounds, her sharp ears picked up something else, something quieter, calmer, even to the point of being monotonous. It sounded like chanting, and from the gaining volume; it seemed like a whole choir was chanting. It sounded like…

"A prayer? A spell?" Sakura guessed, then something caught her eye, "Minna, look!"

Flanked around Tenkai and formed in a wide circle, women clad in Shinto priest robes assumed prayer positions. They were equipped with prayer wards and staffs, and they were chanting what seemed to be a spell.

"The Yumegumi, of course!" Maria remarked enthusiastically, "They're charged with spiritual purification and prayers. Exorcisms are probably one of their abilities."

A white aura emanated from the priestesses, and it increased in size along with the volume and speed of their voices. Their hands locked in prayer and their faces concentrating hard, the Yumegumi began their ritual.

Thenkai felt the strong surge of energy from the Yumegumi countering his own. The dome of energy slowed down in its expansion, until it eventually came into a standstill. But it remained standing.

Kayama pushed himself out of the dent he made in the ground (Tenkai did fling him really hard) and received a note from a passing-by Tsukigumi ninja. Seeing that it was addressed to the Hanagumi on the surface, he leapt from his hole and headed towards the girls in full speed.

"New orders, Hanagumi!" Kayama announced when he approached them, "Read up, Taichou."

He handed the note to Maria, who opened it right away. Reading it as fast as she could, she then said, "Hanagumi, listen up! Form the Haja No Jin around the Yumegumi and gather as much as spiritual power possible! You are to share your powers with the Yumegumi so that there would be enough energy for the exorcism. This was probably the reason why the commander asked us to rest our energies. Hanagumi, SANJOU!"

Everyone snapped a salute except for Sakura, who raised her hand. "Anou…Maria-san…where will I be? I' m supposed to be at the center of the formation, but…well…Tenkai's there."

Maria smirked. "That's exactly where you're going."

She was beyond surprise. "Eeeeh!?"

The assistant Taichou held up the piece of paper in her hand. "You will face Tenkai one more time. He will be significantly weaker than before. Perform the Haja Kensei one more time to break through his barrier, then perform it once more. That would serve as the conduit for Ohgami-Taichou's exorcism."

Kayama nodded. "The Haja no Chikara has been always the prime factor in the battles against the Descended Evil. Doing your special technique would 'push' Tenkai out of Ohgami's body. Hopefully, we will be able to seal him after that once and for all."

"U-understood! I'll do my best!" Sakura replied, snapping a salute.

"You have your orders. Hanagumi, ganbarimasu! SANJOU!" Maria ordered, and the Hanagumi prepared for the final battle.

* * *

Sakura unsheathed Arataka once more. Its edge was still as sharp as ever, and it still could serve as her weapon and the passageway of her energy. The holy blade was passed on from generation to generation of the Shinguji, and it now presently belonged to her, the daughter of Kazuma Shinguji, perhaps one of the greatest heroes the Imperial Capital had.

She looked at where she stood. She was inside the pentagon of the Hanagumi's Haja No Jin, inside the circle of the Yumegumi. She was a few meters away from the Tenkai's dome. Her teammates were silent, and their aura was visible. It flowed into the Yumegumi circle, and it served as the source of power for the exorcism and the sealing.

She looked beyond them, past the fading violet dome, at Tenkai, furiously fighting against the holy energies that were possibly tearing him apart. He still maintained his ground, and he still had plenty of power to spare. He was a fearsome enemy indeed.

But what bothered Sakura the most was his face. She had gotten used to gentle, sometimes strict, but caring face of Ohgami, but now it was heavily distorted into the deluded, bloodthirsty face of Tenkai. It was deathly pale, and almost showed no signs of life. His blood-red eyes were hungry for more bloodshed; hungry for whatever goals Tenkai might have in mind.

Then she looked at the blade once more, gleaming in the powerful light. Its edge had not yet been ruined, and still remained sharp. The only time it did get ruined was when she first fought with Satan Aoi. She had to go home to Sendai to have it repaired, and eventually undergo the re-forging ceremony. Not only would the sword be repaired, but her spirit as well.

Ohgami was there too, to look after her, to see if she was going to be all right. Though he had not been allowed to witness the rituals itself, because it was a privilege only to the clan members, Sakura felt that he had been always there. She might call it crazy, but she even heard his voice in her own ceremony.

He was always there, to protect her, to keep her from harm as much as possible. Despite his own weakness, he had tried and tried to protect her.

If he had only realized that he wasn't weak at all. In fact, Sakura regarded him as one of the most powerful people she had ever met. Why? Because he always put himself in danger for them and he always came out alive. He did everything in his power to protect them.

And now, it was their turn to protect and save him.

"Here we go again, Arataka. Let's do this," Sakura muttered, assuming her battle stance, gathering her power once more.

"HAJA KENSEI! OUKA HOSHIN!!!!" She screamed, and lanced her sword out, and at once a powerful beam of pink energy shot out from the tip of her sword. It hit the barrier in full force, drilling into the dome.

The prayers became faster, and the Hanagumi channeled their energies into the ritual. This was the final moment. There was no leniency for mistakes.

Sakura poured on more of her powerful energy, and the beam became wider and stronger. The barrier then started to crack.

"NO! This cannot be!" Tenkai shouted in disbelief, watching as his power falter under the power of Sakura's attack.

"Your time's up, Tenkai! Bring me back Ohgami-san!" Sakura shouted, and with that, gave everything into that blow.

The crack turned into a shatter, and the beam penetrated right through the barrier, slamming into Tenkai.

Maria opened her eyes, seeing Sakura's success. "This is it, minna! Give it everything you got! Defeat him at all costs!"

The Yumegumi's prayers were being heard, and their wards began to glow in spiritual energy. From their flimsy forms, they suddenly stiffened, and showed the mystical letters of the exorcism ritual. And then, like darts, every priestess threw her wards at Tenkai.

With each ward, Tenkai could feel his power over his body slipping. He was losing control of his host, and try as he could to hold on, the combined power of the Haja Kensei, the Haja No Jin, and the Yumegumi's ritual was overwhelming, even for him.

The ritual was taking effect, and Tenkai screamed one final time, as a misty figure of a pale, cloaked man was pushed out of the body. He flew into the air, screaming in pain, grasping his head. The body, however, collapsed to the ground.

Sakura then dropped her sword, the beam suddenly dissipating, and ran as fast as her legs could take her to Ohgami. She gently cradled his head in her arms, softly stroking his bloodied cheek. She was glad; color was returning to his face.

"Ohgami-san? Pull yourself together, please," she pleaded.

He slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry, but he knew who he was looking at. The black and pink haze and the warmth could tell him one thing.

"Sakura-kun…thank you…" was all he could muster.

She held him close, tears streaming from her face. "Everything's going to be all right now. We'll go home soon, and we'll be together again."

Meanwhile, Tenkai was still screaming in pain, as the multitude of wards came storming into his misty figure, pulling him down to the ground, and preventing any kind of escape. His fate was sealed.

Up in the skies, the Shogei-maru, the zeppelin and the main aerial transport of the Hanagumi, was heaving a gigantic rock spire, with a single mystical letter engraved on its surface.

On board, Yoneda and Ayame were at the cockpit. The old commander put the radio (which was linked to a megaphone outside) to his face, and said, "Give it up, Tenkai! We've already placed the smaller sealing stones in their old temples. This will be the coup de grace."

The Yumegumi stood up and began to surround Tenkai, saying their prayers in louder, more powerful voices. The sounds hurt Tenkai's ears, and he could feel his very existence vanishing.

"_No…_" Tenkai muttered, _"No…not like this…this is not the way it was supposed to be. I still have a mission…"_

He could feel his body slowly becoming rigid. The sealing was taking place.

_"I'm not going to be holed up in some rock for the rest of my life! I WILL TAKE REVENGE! YOU CANNOT STOP ME!"_

And in a mad, desperate effort, he exerted the last of his powerful energy in the form of a single violent shockwave. The Yumegumi were blown away, crashing into the ground. The Hanagumi stood their ground. The seals burned away on his body.

He then began to laugh incessantly, and though it first seemed to the Hanagumi that Tenkai was laughing because he was going mad over his defeat, but Maria sensed something else. It was a strange, but triumphant laugh.

_"The last laugh will be mine_," Tenkai shouted, "_And NONE of you can stop me_!"

He raised his pale white hand and from it a beam of violet energy shot forth. It traveled at such a high velocity that no one saw where it went until it was too late.

"OHGAMI-SAN!!!" Sakura screamed.

Ohgami began to scream in absolute pain, as the beam began to pierce into his body.

"Yamete, Tenkai! YAMETE!!!!" Sakura screamed, standing up, picking up Arataka.

Along with Sakura, the Hanagumi moved out, planning to stop Tenkai from his assault, until Maria stopped them. "Minna, stop! Look at Tenkai!"

Tenkai, too, was screaming in pain. It looked like the beam he had created was also hurting him.

Then, he tried to stop himself from shouting, forcing the pain back down. His fingers danced in a rhythmic movement, and a small light seemed to follow his fingers. It was as if he was writing letters.

Then, he murmured arcane words, summoning a spell. Then with a wave of a hand, it commenced.

Ohgami and Tenkai screamed out loud, as the beam was released from the latter's hand and started to strike them both. The winds picked up, and the earth started to rumble. Fires flared everywhere, and powerful rain started to pour. The elements raged as a testament to the display of tremendous power.

The Hanagumi barely stood their ground, feeling the tremendous shockwaves push against their bodies. Shielding themselves with their arms, they could barely keep an eye on the conflict.

"What's going on?! What's Tenkai doing?" Sakura shouted.

"I have no idea, but it's not good! The force is hurting Tenkai AND Taichou!" Maria replied.

Then, a transparent image of Tenkai, almost like a ghost, came forth from the cloaked man's body. It was limping, like it was dead. Then, it darted into the beam, and was engulfed almost instantly. But some fragments remained in the beam.

"What the hell's going on?! Why did that ghost thing do itself in?" Kanna screamed.

Then it hit them as fast as the fragments plunged themselves into the battered Taichou's body. The beam ended right there, and both Ohgami and Tenkai collapsed into the ground. Sakura was the first to go to Ohgami, followed by the others.

"Ohgami-san? Pull yourself together! Ohgami-san!" Sakura screamed desperately, shaking him but receiving no response.

"Did Tenkai possess him again?!" Sumire demanded, teeth gritting.

"No, minna, look!" Kohran exclaimed, pointing at Tenkai.

The cloaked man was standing up. Like a piece of cloth picked up by the wind, he flew to stand up, but when his feet landed, he almost stumbled. But he maintained his ground.

Maria stood up and pulled out her revolver, aiming it almost instantly at Tenkai. "Tenkai! What did you do to Taichou?"

He did not reply. All he did was stand up straight. His appearance almost remained the same. He was still heavily cloaked, though his clothes were shred at some parts. Both pale, white hands stuck out now, with the same, fearsome blood-red claws.

She clicked the hammer. "Answer me, damn you!"

All he did was lift his hooded head up and shouted, "_Yoneda! You may want to think twice before dropping that rock on me."_

His voice was unnaturally loud, but it still maintained the rasping tone.

Replying with the same amount of decibels via megaphone, he replied, "Bakayaro! What makes you think I'll listen to you?"

_"Because if you want to seal me now…"_

Then his pale white finger pointed at Ohgami, who was slowly regaining consciousness.

"_You might as well seal Ichiro as well."_

Her finger slid into the trigger chamber. It was aching to pull. "What are you talking about?"

_"I am Ichiro. Ichiro is I."_

"Damn you, Tenkai!"

She pulled the trigger, and the gun fired. The bullet flew and it embedded itself into Tenkai's shoulder. He almost dropped to the ground, but managed to keep himself standing.

Blood trickled from the wound, and Tenkai gripped the bullet hole. "_Fool. Before you make any more rash decisions, see the results of your attack."_

He pointed a pale finger towards Ohgami, and they were compelled to look.

"Masaka…" Maria muttered, dreaded.

There was a bullet wound in Ohgami's shoulder.

"Oh no!" Sakura gasped, then faced Tenkai, "What have you done to Ohgami-san?"

His voice was mocking. _"I halved my spiritual energy and fused it with Ichiro's own. His original energy has been converted to my kind of power. Therefore, he is significantly stronger than before."_

Kanna muttered, "Well, that isn't so bad…"

_"But there's a catch. That power acts as a parasite. It will eat him, devour his memories, and consume his soul, until he is nothing more than a ready vessel. A vessel for me. In the meantime, I will regain my lost half of power, and when I take his body one more time, I will be twice as strong."_

He triumphantly laughed out loud, wringing his hands in the air to express his glee.

_"But we are connected to one another. It's still my power that he has, and inhabiting his body has left me with some of his. We are the halves of one whole now. Though what happens to me happens to him and vice-versa will only last for a short time, when you take one of us down, you take the whole thing down."_

He pointed his blood-red nail at the Hanagumi, bewildered and threatened.

_"So, sealing only me will not suffice until you gather the guts to seal Ichiro as well, something you can never, ever do. You humans think that your feelings, your relations to one another are the source of your strength, your victory, but this proves that you are wrong."_

He pointed his index finger at his head and raised his thumb, similar to a gun.

_"Do it. Kill Ichiro. Kill me. Shoot me at the head. That can instantly kill me, and end the threat to your Imperial Capital. But remember, killing me now will also kill Ichiro."_

Maria dropped her gun. This was beyond her. She would never kill him.

He seemed disappointed, but content. _"Hmph, I thought as much."_

Tenkai used one nail to raise the hood slightly, revealing his eyes. They were blood red, like the nails, and stared intently at Ohgami.

"_Did you get all that, Ichiro?"_

He could barely stand up, but his face was pale with shock. "W-what have you done to me…"

_"Didn't you say that you wanted power, Ichiro? Power to protect those you love? Well, now you have it, my parting gift for you. But remember, there's a price for power, and yours is to spend the rest of your short life, knowing that your desire for power has brought ruin to the Capital."_

Tenkai laughed.

_"After all that you've done, do you really think you have the right to protect them now? You made them bleed, Ichiro. You made them suffer."_

Ohgami violently shook his head, covering his ears. "No, no, no! This can't be!"

_"You have power and no one to protect. Your mistakes have brought you their enmity. Your indecisiveness has brought you their hatred."_

He was screaming madly. His eyes were bloodshot. Sakura tried to qualm his anger, but to no avail. Tenkai's voice seemed to pierce directly into his heart.

_"With all that, don't you wish you were better off dead?"_

Tenkai laughed, filling the air with his maniacal cackling. He floated into the air, the winds picking him up like a discarded cloak, and then he disappeared. His laughs echoed in the air until it vanished, drowned out by Ohgami's mad screaming.

"Ohgami-san! Please, stop! Please, STOP!" Sakura begged, watching Ohgami scream and scream and scream, tears flowing out of his eyes like waterfalls.

"Onii-chan! ONII-CHAN!" Iris pleaded, crying. Her big brother was beginning to calm down, his screams becoming softer.

"Kayama-taichou! Please call for a medic, immediately!" Maria demanded, and Kayama leapt off.

Ohgami lied down on the burnt ground, bleeding, battered. His eyes were bloodshot, just staring into the raining heavens. He could hear all the cries for him, begging him to hang on. He could see their faces, just pleading for him to survive. But they were nothing more than blurs to him. 

Then everything faded to black.


	11. Sins

__

* * *

Chapter 11 - Sins

* * *

_It's been a month since the battle in Ueno Park, and Ohgami-san still hasn't awakened from his "coma." The doctors say that it wasn't a physical sort of coma. It was like Ohgami-san didn't want to wake up at all._

I've visited several times with minna-san and we always get a cold reception. He was just propped up on the bed's headstand, just staring into the wall. We've tried everything, from flowers, food to short plays but nothing seems to snap him out of his reverie. He didn't move a single inch when we visited. But once I saw him staring at the wall with a single tear down his cheek.

The doctors told me that he was heard screaming in the night. It was a miserable scream, they say, like someone being brought to death row. They would always find him struggling in bed, trying to get away but he would always be sedated. The next morning, he would resume his usual routine: staring at the wall.

I've talked to him several times, but he just wouldn't wake up. I've asked the others and they've all tried too, but all they got was an empty stare. Iris even told me that she attempted to read his mind but she got nothing.

Oka-san, Oba-san, I hope that when you read this, you'll send me a reply right away. With all my heart I care for Ohgami-san, and I simply can't bear to watch him suffer like this. If there's some kind of medicine that you know, some kind of technique that I can use, then please let me know about it. I want to bring him back to the old Ohgami-san that I used to know, the same person that brought me to Sendai long ago to help me out. He has some problems, and I want to help him solve those to the best that I can.

Arigato Gozaimas.

Teikoku Kagekidan

Hanagumi

Sakura Shinguji

* * *

That morning, she slipped the letter through the mailbox, hearing it land with the other hundreds of mail.

Sakura briskly walked back to the entrance of the ruined Teigeki. The playhouse badly needed repairs, and despite the many carpenters working on it, it might take a long time before it could be used again. Walls were destroyed, rooms were burned, and they needed to be replaced. She wasn't even sure if the Teigeki would ever get repaired. Government funding could only last for so long, and it had to be divided among the other casualties and destruction.

Last month's recent battles with the possessed Ohgami had ruined millions worth of property in the Imperial Capital. Buildings had collapsed, roads were split apart, and trees were burned. Today, there were only a scarce number of cherry blossom trees in Ueno Park, and no doubt it would take a long time before it could be restored to its former glory.

She sighed as she entered the building, entering the cafeteria. She hadn't had breakfast yet.

The cafeteria still retained its usual splendor, but it still had some cracks on the walls and some windows needed replacing. The tables and chairs were still intact, though, and the kitchen was still functional.

On her way to the kitchen, she saw Iris, alone, eating slowly with Jean-Paul. She seemed sad. Sakura decided to talk to her after she had gotten her meal.

She opened the door, and saw Kanna cooking. She was oddly unenthusiastic about it. Sakura had gotten used to Kanna's boisterous laughing and cheerful attitude when cooking.

"Kanna-san?" Sakura called.

She glumly returned her call with a wave of a hand and replied, "Hey."

"Do you need help? Maria-san isn't here to help you cook."

She shook her head. "No thanks. Maria, Ayame-san, and Shihainin went to a meeting to assess the battle damage. Sumire went home yesterday. Kohran went to Hanayashiki to deal with the Kobu repairs, but she said she'd be back this noon. Kasumi and the others are supervising the repairs."

"Oh," Sakura replied, then saw a fresh plate of food on the table.

"That's yours," Kanna said, tasting what she cooked, "Go on and eat ahead with Iris. I'll catch up soon."

Sakura went up to her and saw her glum expression on her face as she chopped some carrots. "Kanna-san, are you okay?"

She just shook her head. "How can I be okay? After all that's happened, even when a month has already passed, I'm still shaken up by what happened."

Sakura just nodded. "You're right. Many buildings were destroyed and there were many casualties as well. What's more, Ohgami-san still hasn't snapped out of his trance."

Kanna's eyes never left the stove. "I wonder what's he's thinkin' about?"

"I don't know."

She hated answering that. As much as possible, she wanted to know what was going on in Ohgami's head, but so far, she hadn't a single clue.

"Well, he'll wake up, eventually," Kanna said. She lifted the ladle to her lips, sipped some of the curry she was making, and said, "Mmm! Oishi!"

Sakura smiled then picked up her tray, afterwards heading off to sit beside Iris. She had stopped eating, despite that there were still plenty of food on her. She was levitating the chopsticks.

"Iris, don't play with your food," Sakura said, snapping her chopsticks apart.

"Iris is not playing. You don't eat chopsticks."

"Iris…"

The French girl placed them on the table and sighed, looking at the sushi that she didn't eat. "Iris is not hungry."

"Eh? Why?"

She sighed once more. "Iris doesn't know. Iris guesses the room isn't the same."

Sakura lifted her eyes from Iris then took a gander at the cafeteria. There were some cracks on the ceiling and on the walls. Some of the windows had cracks, and the curtains were either torn or falling off the hooks.

"Well, it may not look as grand as it was before, but at least the tables are still here, and the kitchen's still working," Sakura replied.

"Iris didn't mean it that way."

Sighing, Sakura patted her head softly. "I know. It just isn't the same without everybody eating with us."

"Iris wonders if Onii-chan will be okay?"

"Daijobu! Ohgami-san is strong. He'll be okay," Sakura replied, putting as much cheer in her voice as she could.

"Demo, what if Onii-chan doesn't want to wake up?" Iris said.

Sakura was a bit surprised. It took a moment for her to reply, "What makes you think that?"

"What he said to us…Iris thinks that he's really so sorry for what he did. Onii-chan probably wants to take responsibility for everything. He's going to take the big burden on his shoulders."

Sakura sighed once more. "He probably would."

Then Sakura faced Iris and added, "But he won't leave us. He wanted to protect us and he won't be able to do that by just lying down there."

"Demo, what if Onii-chan thinks that the best way to protect us is to leave us?"

Sakura gasped. She never thought of it that way. But, knowing Ohgami's own personality, he just might do it.

But Sakura just held Iris' hand and said, "Don't think like that. Ohgami-san will never leave us."

"Iris hopes so, Sakura."

* * *

"Ohgami-kun?"

He wasn't lying on the bed. The nodes and syringes were on the sheets. Some had some blood on them.

Ohgami was there, looking out the window, at the afternoon of the Imperial Capital. His shoulders were slumped, and his hand was barely clinging on to the curtain.

Yoneda casually placed the huge bottle of saké that he had brought with him on the table. He placed along with the bottle two small ceramic cups, one of them having a ring of blue paint near the rim.

"I'm glad that you're awake, Ohgami-kun," The old commander said.

He made no reply. He continued looking out the window.

"You know, the girls will be happy once they know that you've finally awoken," Yoneda added with a slight happy tone in his gruff voice.

"I'm sorry…" Ohgami murmured. It was so soft, what he said was barely audible.

"Eh?"

"I'm sorry, commander…," Ohgami said, a little louder than before.

Yoneda raised a brow. "What for?"

He continued to look out the window. "For everything."

Yoneda did not reply. He simply poured himself a cup of saké.

Ohgami turned around, surprised to see his commander doing nothing but getting himself drunk again. "Sir? Aren't you going to berate me for what I've done?"

He lifted one eye from his cup, the one without the blue ring. "Do you want me to?"

He was a bit baffled. "Sir?"

Yoneda tossed him the cup with the blue ring, which Ohgami deftly caught with one hand. "Do you remember when I gave this to you, Ohgami-kun?"

"I still do. It was when you tried to fight Yamazaki with the Majinki."

Yoneda smiled for a moment as he took another sip. "That was my favorite cup, y'know. So when I decided that it was time to face Yamazaki, I knew that my cup would be safe in your hands."

"Sir?"

"I trust you, Ohgami-kun. I know you'll do a good job in taking care of the girls, and in leading them into battle."

Ohgami placed the cup on the table by the bed, a sullen look on his face. "I've betrayed that trust, sir. In more times than I can remember."

Reaching for the cup, Yoneda sipped a little more. "I think you're exaggerating, Ohgami-kun."

That struck a chord, as Ohgami's temper flared up and slammed his fists on the bed. "EXAGGERATING!? I've ruined a considerable part of the Imperial Capital, taken plenty of lives, and almost killed the Hanagumi! And you call that exaggerating!"

Yoneda calmly placed the cup back on the table then poured it full again, and before drinking it, he looked at Ohgami with piercing eyes. Ohgami almost shuddered.

"I'm calling it an exaggeration because it wasn't your fault. It never was."

Ohgami replied, "But sir! If I hadn't allowed Tenkai to enter my body, then none of this would have happened."

"He played with your feelings, and took advantage of your weak points. He attacked when you were vulnerable."

He punched the bed even harder. "That's what I'm trying to say, sir! I was weak and vulnerable, and because of that, he was allowed to possess me and destroy the Capital. If only I were stronger, If only I had a little more power, then…"

Ohgami suddenly stopped speaking. His mouth was open, and his eyes were wide. His face was a mix of horror and at the same time, realization.

Yoneda smiled, putting the cup to his lips. The boy was learning. "Don't you realize that even now, you are clinging on to that hope, which brought you your own personal destruction?"

He put the cup down. "Talk to me, Ohgami-kun. Why the sudden desire for power? You were doing very well before as Taichou of the Hanagumi. What happened?"

Beat, he sat down on the side of the bed, facing the window, his back facing Yoneda. He spoke with a tired, defeated voice, "The Haja No Jin."

"What about it?"

"You told me to create a formation which can draw each member's spiritual energy and raise it to a certain maximum. You asked me to unite them to generate a more powerful force."

"And you succeeded in doing so, Ohgami-kun," Yoneda replied, "The Haja No Jin was an effective weapon against the Wakiji, Kouma, and the Kulonos-Kai."

He nodded. "But I didn't realize that in order to maintain the flow of energy, each member must have at least a permissible amount of spiritual power. Having a weak amount of energy would only break the flow."

Yoneda took another sip of saké.

"So, I agreed to leave the formation, seeing to it that the Hanagumi would utilize the formation to have the best results. I had a weak amount of energy, meaning that I would only, as I said earlier, break the flow."

Yoneda was getting sleepy, all of a sudden. It was either the saké or Ohgami's lecture about the Haja No Jin.

"But I didn't realize something until it was already too late."

The old commander's eyes turned to him, interest and concern piqued.

"I would be sending the girls into the battlefield, where their skills are put on the test and their lives on the line, while I would be left behind to just watch."

His voice was pained, and something started to well up in the Taichou's throat. But he forced himself to continue.

"It was different than before. I was an active part of the fighting, and at least, I can see and feel the battle up close, not through some monitor or screen. Also, I have a clear idea on how the girls are doing, on how they're keeping up, because I'm there with them."

Yoneda replied, "But you weren't, because you lacked the energy needed to sustain the Haja No Jin."

Ohgami sadly nodded. "I swore to myself that in leading the Hanagumi, I'd fight with them until the bitter end. I'd go with them to any battlefield and fight any battle. But, I guess my own creation kept me from fulfilling my vow.

"My contempt sort of climaxed during the first battle with Tenkai, y'know, when he was still cloaked. I was being flung away by Tenkai, because he said that I wasn't worthy of a battle." 

He clenched his fists, his nails nearly burying themselves into the flesh. "So, I helplessly watched as the bastard mercilessly fought and won against the Hanagumi. I felt so…so…miserable. I wanted to kill him, flay him apart, tear his eyes out with my bare hands. But I couldn't. I couldn't even get near him."

His body relaxed and his fists unclenched, his nails leaving reddened marks on his palms. Ohgami slowly turned to the commander, who had a grave expression on his face. The Taichou said, "I guess, after what I've told you, you can infer what will happen next."

Yoneda nodded slowly. Ohgami sighed ruefully, feeling his guilt worsen. He said, "I'm not worthy to be the Hanagumi's Taichou anymore. Do what you must. I know that I deserve it."

A few silent moments passed, and no words were exchanged. Outside, the sun was setting, and night was only a few hours away. Yoneda was slowly drinking his saké, while Ohgami put himself to bed, though he still sat upright. With sheets pulled up to his waist, he looked at Yoneda and asked, "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Yoneda made no reply. He simply replaced the cap on his saké.

"Sir?"

He returned the cup to his coat pocket, and picked up the one with the blue ring.

"Here you go, Ohgami-kun," Yoneda said, handing him the blue ringed cup. Ohgami, who was surprised, took it.

"Sir?"

"Ohgami-kun, what you've just told me only reinforces my trust in you."

He gasped, relieved and puzzled at the same time. "What do you mean?"

"You genuinely care for the girls, and you took responsibility of all your actions. You acted out of mere concern."

But he looked at Ohgami with stern eyes, which made Ohgami move a few inches backward. "But remember, Ohgami-kun, that we chose you not only because you have enough spiritual energy to control the Kobu, but also because you can do something else."

Ohgami blinked. "What?"

"You can unite the Hanagumi's powers and totally release them. You can combine their hearts to create a more powerful force. You have that kind of power, which no one has, Ohgami-kun. And for me, that makes you very powerful.

"Don't think that you weren't there in all the battles they've faced, because you always were, in their hearts. You give them the power to continue on in the battle, because you can lead them. They know that you're always there to give them support. You always have a connection with them, no matter how far you are from the battle. You were never there physically, but you were there, regardless."

The old man smiled at him. "Think about it, Ohgami-kun. You're more powerful than you ever imagined."

He stood up and left the room, waving his hand and saying, "Meet you back in the Teigeki," as he left.

Night had already come, and Ohgami sat there in his room alone, contemplating all what was said. He meditated calmly, and for the first time in a long time, he smiled. Taking the cup in his hands, he muttered, "Arigato, shihainin. I know what to do now."

* * *

A few days later, Ohgami found himself at the front of the Teigeki. He had walked all the way from the hospital, strangely because he felt his strength returning after his talk with the commander. But he never expected a rainstorm, so he ran as fast he could to the playhouse, bringing with him a small suitcase.

But he didn't enter right away. He was at the middle of the stairs that led to the playhouse's entrance. Despite the powerful rain, he just stood there, staring at the entrance with a sullen look on his face.

He wanted to go inside, kicking the doors open and throwing himself in, feeling the familiar warmth and comfort of the Teigeki. He wanted to go back to the dining area and eat the delicious food that he always ate. He wanted to go back to the virtual training area and improve his Kobu piloting.

But most of all, he wanted to be with the girls again, to be with his family. He terribly missed Kanna's loud boisterousness and Maria's calm reassurance. He missed Kohran's bubbly perkiness and Sumire's proud confidence. He missed Iris' sisterly care and Sakura's true concern.

All it took now was to climb this stairway to his heaven.

But heaven always had prerequisites before one could enter, and Ohgami couldn't help but think of the past days. He allowed many atrocities to happen. People had died, buildings were destroyed, and most of all, he almost killed the Hanagumi just because of his own weaknesses. 

Those were cold, dark days, and because of him, Tenkai was allowed to roam free. Where he went was unknown, and Tenkai left him a curse that would gradually eat his soul. Even now, he could feel it biting.

Because of his own disadvantages, Tenkai could very well mean the end of the world.

He didn't know how to apologize. He didn't even know if he had the right to.

So, as he looked at the stairway to heaven, it seemed so high and long. It suddenly became threatening, as if when Ohgami could climb the next few steps, the stairs would break away. His actions could condemn him to hell.

Should he run away, or should he try to climb? Did he deserve heaven or hell? Did he have the right to climb those stairs? 

He was confused, his emotions jumbled into disarray. He didn't know what to think. The rain that fell didn't seem so cold anymore, compared to the growing chill in his heart.

Did he have the right to climb the stairway to heaven? He wasn't sure, and he didn't know where to get the answers.

So, the doors opened for him.

* * *

"Ohgami-san?"

He was in the middle of the pouring rain. His face was down, and his hands were at the sides, clenched tightly. One hand was holding a small suitcase.

Sakura was at the open doorway. She had an umbrella with her. She was going out to buy something but she certainly didn't expect this.

He didn't see her open the door, and he didn't hear her voice. 

Her heartbeats were going fast, and she couldn't resist curling her lips into a smile. She already dropped the umbrella.

She had no other words to say. But in her heart, she didn't need them. Down the stairs, he wasn't the person who almost destroyed the Imperial Capital. He wasn't the person who almost killed them. He wasn't Tenkai.

In her own tear-filled eyes, he was Ohgami-san, alive, well, and back home.

Never mind the rain. Never mind what could happen next.

She just dashed into the torrent, disregarding the rain, and with a joyful call of his name, jumped at him, arms wide open.

Ohgami was more than surprised, as his head abruptly went back up at the call of his name and saw a girl in a pink kimono, drenched in rain, coming for him.

He barely caught her, making him go a few steps down. Her feet went back to the ground, and the force of her jump gradually subsided.

He was without words, as he saw her near him. She had her arms around his waist, clinging to his back. Her face was buried in his chest, sobbing quietly.

He was confused; his hands and arms barely touching her. What did this mean? Why did Sakura do this? 

Then, he saw her face lift up and look into his eyes, an expression of true happiness on her tear-streaked face. 

Ohgami gasped. Her face said it all.

He couldn't help smiling too, and tears welled up in his eyes. They both looked into each other eyes; both filled with joy and bliss. He embraced her hard and tight, and Sakura returned it. He laid his face on her shoulder, while she put hers on his chest.

Ohgami smiled long, his face content. He had found his answer. He didn't need any words to know what he was looking for. It was already here.

Heaven had welcomed him back with open arms.

* * *


	12. Responsibilities

* * *

Chapter 12 – Responsibilities

* * *

The following days and weeks were uneventful, but peaceful. Ohgami had returned to the Teigeki, much to the delight of the Hanagumi. He stayed there and did his work as he always did, but he had to help rebuild his room first. Eventually, he helped out in the entire reconstruction. 

The weeks passed, and new plays were brought up, each a constant success. The girls still had their powerful enthusiasm, and nothing else had changed. Sumire continued to berate Sakura, Kanna continued to make fun of Sumire, Maria remained the thoughtful observer and Kohran and Iris were the icebreakers. Ms. Tsukigata, their director, had to remark that the girls' performance after the battles were better than before.

Yoneda and Ayame remained to be the Hanagumi's "parents." Dealing with whatever financial problem or any other mishap, they continued to be the girls' guides. Ayame occasionally visited Yamazaki's grave to pray, and Yoneda, too, made occasional visits to Sendai, to visit his old friend Kazuma. Also, Yoneda remained a saké-hound, and that was ever a constant.

Kayama, the Taichou of the ever-secretive Tsukigumi, now visited the Teigeki to hang out with his best friend, Ohgami. Always bringing his guitar, he kept belting out songs he had learned in his days at the Academy, and Ohgami was always seen creeping out of the room, red-faced with embarrassment. But Kayama would always pull him back and force him to play a few tunes with his guitar while Kayama would stand up and break glass with his baritone. At the end of the day, when his voice was gone and his guitar's strings were snapped, he would always jump out of the balcony and disappear. Much to Ohgami's dismay, he would return the next day, with a fixed guitar and a voice ready for singing.

And it was spring.

* * *

In his room, Ohgami closed his small suitcase. He kept this suitcase a secret from the others and with good reason too. It had the symbol of the Yumegumi on it, and was locked with a code that only Ohgami knew.

He pulled down his right sleeve back to its normal place. He gripped his right arm tight, feeling an abnormal heat emanating from it. His fingers were stiff, and he had to bend them a number of times to regain flexibility.

Sighing, he opened the windows, letting the morning sun in, and briskly walked out of his room.

He went straight to the attic, where the old books on history and useful reference materials were kept in storage, and climbed out the window. He scampered up the roof, and sat on the Teigeki's top, staring into the horizon.

The sky was blue, and the sun was up in the sky. The cirrus clouds were few and scattered.

But he wasn't looking at the seemingly endless view of the Imperial Capital. He wasn't looking at the sky too. He was squinting, looking for something, something beyond the horizon.

"Where…," he often muttered.

"You know, you spend a lot of time here."

A voice broke his concentration, making him slightly jump from where he sat, and he looked at where it came from.

It was Sakura, struggling to climb up. With a smile and a hand, he pulled her up. She sat down beside him. A very narrow distance separated them.

"Yeah," he replied.

"What exactly do you do here?"

Ohgami hesitated before replying, "Oh, nothing. Just appreciating the view."

It was an obvious lie, and Sakura realized it. The city was in ruins. Craters made by explosions were everywhere in the city like boils, and there were still some uncontrollable fires. Farther, Ueno Park, despite retaining its pink hue from this distance, had blank blotches here and there. Sirens filled the air, and the noise of the steam-driven fire trucks and police cars nigh muffled the murmurs and grumbles of the citizenry's unrest. Though the city wasn't entirely decimated, it was still a horror to look at.

If Sakura had a notion of what's been bothering Ohgami in the past few days, he wouldn't look at this view, as it would only help resurface bad memories. After all, he believed that he had a part in all of this, though Sakura adamantly believed that he had none.

She looked at him look back at the city, and saw his discomfort. He stared at the Imperial Capital with a look of regret and guilt.

In a caring gesture, she gently placed his hand over his. Ohgami's attention was abruptly diverted from the capital to his hand, then to Sakura, who looked at him with genuine concern.

"If there's anything I can do to help, please tell me," she said.

He smiled, feeling the caring warmth of her hand. "Arigato, Sakura-kun. But there's nothing you should worry about now."

"Really?"

He nodded. Then looking back at the city, he said, "I was just thinking, that's all. About all that's happened in the past few months. Sometimes, I think it's hard to believe that we're here now, talking like this."

"We made it through, Ohgami-san. We survived," Sakura replied, looking at the city too, "We were able to hold on."

"That's true. But still," he said with a slight chuckle, "It's amazing how we got through. The Wakiji, the Kulonos-Kai, Yamazaki, and then recently, Tenkai. They were powerful beings. To think that a group of actresses and a rookie navy officer were able to defeat them, it's pretty amazing."

Sakura giggled heartily. "I guess you can say that."

He sighed. "These are the stuff that dreams are made of, I guess. Hard to believe that we're still alive."

Sakura shook her head. "I don't think so. We helped each other get through this. It was through believing in each other that helped us. Don't you remember? You taught us that."

He looked at her, puzzled, "I did?"

"Yes! It started with everybody eating in the cafeteria, then the teamwork, then lastly, the Haja No Jin. You helped us combine our hearts!"

He smiled again. "I guess I did, didn't I?"

Sakura nodded. "So, if you have anything that's bothering you, don't hesitate to talk to me or any one of us. We'll be more than glad to help you out. If you have a problem that seems to be overwhelming, we'll help you out, okay?"

He nodded. "Okay."

"Promise me!"

Ohgami was a bit startled. She had already held out her pinky. "Promise you?"

She nodded, saying, "I think you always tend to do things by yourself, no matter how hard it may be. You don't have to shut yourself out when you're in trouble. You taught us to combine our hearts, but I think you haven't combined yours with ours."

His eyes widened. He gasped. She was right. He wanted so much to protect them, when he failed to realize that they want to protect him too. He wanted to shield them from harm, when all the while, their shields were already ready to protect him.

"I think we can help each other better when we all work together, right?" Sakura said, smiling, waving her pinky, "So promise me!"

But he knew he had something else in mind. When that time came, he'd have to do it, regardless of the consequences.

So he just smiled, the best he could, and hooked his pinky with hers. "I'll try."

"Okay, we should go back down now. I was supposed to call you for breakfast, but I forgot," Sakura said, rubbing her head, "Let's go, Ohgami-san!"

Taking a firm grip on his hand, she pulled him down the roof, carefully sliding down to the narrow ridge, where they would carefully inch their way back to the window.

"Hey, hey! Sakura-kun, be careful!" He said worriedly, but he was enjoying it.

She entered the window, and Ohgami was starting to enter, carefully walking over to the windowpane.

When it happened.

A dark cold chill pierced his heart, taking the heat from his body. He shivered slightly, and clutched his heart, as if a cold lance had struck him through the chest.

It was a message of some sort, because when he received the cold, he was compelled to look back in to the city.

Or rather, beyond the city, past the burning buildings and the uprooted trees. Past the horizon, spanning hundreds of miles. He could see it; everything seemed to zoom past him quickly, until the environment stopped.

He was looking at a small rural town, with Shinto temples and small houses. Nature was abundant here, and there was rarely a sign of modern technology here, save the train that passed here.

He had been here before. Once, twice, he couldn't remember, along with the name. It was at the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't remember. It all came to him so fast that he was having difficulty thinking.

But beyond those temples, past the houses, past nature, he could feel it, a mass of dormant energy, quiet, resting. 

Ohgami gasped. It all came back to him.

He murmured, "I found you…"

"Ohgami-san! Hayaku, hayaku!"

That snapped him out of his concentration. He blinked his eyes several times, to regain that vision, but all he could see now was the Imperial Capital. He was back on the roof.

But he knew where it was. His mind was set.

Carefully walking over to the window, he yelled back, "I'm coming!"

* * *

In the days that passed, the girls could notice that Ohgami was spending more time in his room and outside the Teigeki. He would wake up in the morning, eat with them heartily, and then go out of the playhouse, bringing along with him a small suitcase, the same one that Sakura saw him with on his return to the Hanagumi. When he would come home, he would walk directly to his room, lock it, and stayed there, leaving only for dinner and the nightly patrolling.

During eating time, he wouldn't talk about his odd behavior, readily changing the subject whenever it was brought up.

"Ohgami-san? Is everything all right? You seem to be spending a lot of time in your room…"

Then he would usually reply, "Huh? Oh? Were you talking to me? Sorry…Oh. OH! This tastes good! Mmm! MMMM!!!!" Then he'd devour every scrap of food then zoom out of the cafeteria.

They concluded that he'd still say the same thing even if they feed him dog food.

And the days rolled on and Ohgami spent more and more time in his room. Eventually, the day came that he never came out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

They didn't have time to worry about him, now that Ms. Tsukigata had another idea for a play. They had to practice.

However, that night, Iris finished early, so Kanna asked her to bring some food up to Ohgami's room. "Taichou's probably hungry," Kanna said, "So help him out, okay?"

Iris, in her usual clothes, clutching Jean-Paul in one hand, holding a tray of rice balls in the other, climbed up the stairs to the dormitories. She headed straight for Ohgami's room. She put the teddy bear down, and gripped the doorknob.

It only clicked. It was locked, so Iris knocked. 

There was no reply, so she knocked again. She yelled, "Onii-chan! It's Iris!"

Still, there was no reply.

She was getting mad. She had been severely worried about her Onii-chan's behavior in the past few days. She worked hard to make him some rice balls. She even brought it up to him. And this was the thanks she was going to get?

The time of waiting was over. Furious, she placed her free hand on the door.

Then suddenly, the hinges loosened, the screws twirling out of their sockets. The doorknob rattled in place then broke apart, shattering into its basic parts. The door creaked loudly, before it finally fell down the floor with a loud thud.

With a shrill voice, she shouted, "Onii-chan! Itadaki…masu?"

Her voice was caught, trapped in her throat. What she saw in the room was definitely what she expected.

There was a strong smell of incense in the candle-lit room. It was fairly dark, having only candles to light the room. Seals were in the corners of the room, taped to the wall. It seemed to glow with energy, expending their power.

And in the middle of the room, was Ohgami, quiet, meditating. He was wearing his usual clothes, but they were torn in some places. Sweat trickled down his face, and his teeth grit in concentration.

It was either he ignored Iris or in the depth of his meditation, he didn't notice her at all.

Iris was slightly scared, but she was more afraid for Ohgami. She didn't know what was happening to him. At the sight of him, thoughts began to pour in. Perhaps, he was being possessed again, or his dark power had finally ate his soul. She was confused.

"Onii-chan!" She called out worriedly.

At her voice, he suddenly opened his eyes, breaking his meditation. The seals fell to the floor and turned to ash.

He saw her at the doorway, holding a tray of rice balls. Even though the shadows covered her face, he could already imagine what kind of expression her face was wearing.

He breathed a tired sigh. Then he raised his hand, and waved it.

The candles suddenly went out in smoke, and the electric light in the middle of the room's ceiling turned on.

Ohgami looked at her with a smirk on his face. "I guess you know my little secret now."

He stood up, and then took the tray of rice balls from her trembling hands. He placed it on the table, and then picked one up and took a bite. "Mmm! This is good! Did you make it?"

She didn't know what to say. She didn't know if she could even speak. She just nodded.

He ate the whole ball, then gently took her small hand and led her inside. He closed the door behind her.

"Please," Ohgami said, kneeling down to look at her eye to eye, "Tell me what you feel."

She stuttered at first, her voice trembling as fast as her body, but after a while, she regained her composure. "Well…there's a lot of dark energy here, Iris could feel it. But Iris could also feel an equal amount of pure energy."

"Right," Ohgami replied, "It has begun, Iris."

"What began, Onii-chan?"

"The curse. Even now, I could feel it gnawing at my soul, slowly destroying my mind, everything I have here," He pointed at his head, "and here," then pointed at his chest.

"Eventually, as Tenkai said before, I'll be reduced to nothing more than a vessel, a vessel for his rebirth," Ohgami finished, sighing.

Iris looked around first, and then asked, "What's with the seals and the incense?"

"Oh, that. I left daily to the Yumegumi to seek advice on the matter. They said that his power, Tenkai's power, was too great to exorcise and it had a firm grip on me. But they offered me was some instruction on how to use seals and the like. Y'know, Shinto stuff. Anyway, all it could do was slow down the process, not stop it.

"So, to tell you the truth, I really don't have much time left in this world," he said, matter-of-factly.

Iris gasped a bit, but he stroked her hair to reassure him.

"Daijobu, Iris. I have a plan, but you have to keep it a secret from the others, okay?"

"Iris thinks she knows what Onii-chan has in mind," she said, looking at him directly.

He was surprised. If she was right, she had good insight.

"You're going after him, aren't you?"

Ohgami briefly smiled, then nodded.

"Alone?"

He nodded again.

"Wouldn't that be dangerous?"

He nodded again, saying, "Yes, it will be dangerous."

"Then why don't you ask for help from the others?"

Ohgami gently held her shoulders and deeply looked in her eyes. He wanted to let her know that he was telling the truth and how he honestly felt about the situation.

"Because this is my own responsibility. I let Tenkai to go free. It was my own fault that Tenkai was allowed to do all this damage to the Teigeki and to the Imperial Capital. I don't want to have others be involved in MY fight, my…retribution."

"Retribution?"

He nodded. "You may have forgiven me for all the trouble I've caused, but I haven't. Not yet. While Tenkai roams free, I can never bring myself to forgive myself. When Tenkai is finally vanquished, only then will my sins be atoned."

He stood up, then walked over to his desk, where his suitcase was. It was open, and Iris could see that it was stuffed with seal paper and incense sticks. Then she realized that all this time, when he was absent, he was already fighting with Tenkai for control over his own body. 

"Truth be told," Ohgami said, as he gathered his materials along with a brush and a bottle of ink, "I was actually hoping that when Tenkai's defeated, my curse will be lifted."

He shut the case, and the lock fell in place, clicking shut. He picked it up and placed it along with another, larger, suitcase.

Iris saw this, gasped, then asked, "You're leaving already?!" 

He sadly nodded.

"Demo, Onii-chan! Aren't you going to at least say good-bye?"

He said, "If I wasn't going to tell anyone of you, then what's the use of saying goodbye? Besides, I'm only telling you because you're already here."

"But when they realize that you're gone…" She was at a loss of words.

He sighed, sitting down on his bed. He said sadly, "You know, Iris? If I had my way, I wouldn't leave. If there was some other way to do this, some other way that I don't have to be so far away from home, I'll do it in a heartbeat. I don't want to be away from you."

Then he looked at her, and said, "But I have to do this, for my sake, and for the others. The reason why I won't tell you is because I think that you'll try to stop me, persuade me to come along. I can't have that."

He looked out the window, out to the night sky. "Because this is one battle that I have to do on my own."

"Onii-chan…"

He looked back into her eyes, saw them at the brink of tears. He immediately went to her, pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, then wiped it dry. "There now. No tears, please, Iris? I promise you that I'll come back. I don't know when, but I will. I won't die."

He gently brought her to him and hugged her. She returned it, grasping tightly, as if he wasn't ever coming back once she let him go. "Onii-chan," she said, between sobs, "You better keep your promise."

"Mochiron."

"Iris loves you," she confessed, holding to him tighter, "Onii-chan."

He gently stroked her hair, then said, "You know, you gave me more reason to come back."

They stayed like that for another minute or so, then they let go. Ohgami, still kneeling, pulled out a small white envelope from his pocket. It had only one thing written on the surface.

"Sakura?" Iris asked.

"Yes. Could you please give it to her tomorrow morning? The very minute she wakes up?"

Wiping a few more tears, she nodded in agreement. Then, she said, with a slight bow and with much sorrow, "Ganbarimasu…Sayonara, Onii-chan."

* * *


	13. With You

* * *

Chapter 13 – With You

* * *

_Dear Sakura-kun,_

If you're reading this, then that means that I'm gone. You must be reading this in my room, after discovering that it's empty.

I think you have a good idea of where I am, though I might as well re-iterate why I left.

I intend to search for Tenkai and then take him down. Maybe, if I do that, my curse will be lifted. Perhaps, by then, I would no longer be the Second Advent of Tenkai.

Perhaps.

I wanted to do this now because I could already feel the curse starting. I could already feel it working against me, draining me of my every being and soul. I consulted the Yumegumi on how to handle this (that's the reason why I leave so much), and they told me that I could only slow it down, not completely stop it. That's why I often keep to myself, locking myself in my room, because I was trying to apply what the Yumegumi taught me. It worked, but I felt that it wasn't going to last.

I think I know what you could be thinking right now. It goes something like, "Why did that idiot leave without telling us anything?"

It's because this is MY responsibility. It was my fault that Tenkai got his way. Because of me, Tenkai nearly destroyed the Imperial Capital. He took away everything that we've worked so hard for, just because I let him do it. My own desire for power got in the way of protecting the Capital.

Sakura-kun, you and others may have forgiven me for all the atrocities I've committed. You may have moved on, but I haven't. I haven't forgiven myself. I haven't moved on. I believe that while Tenkai still roams free, I can never forgive myself. When he's through, that's only when I can. That's only when I'll come back home.

I'm not sure, though, when I'll go home. I'm not sure if I can. But I promise you, that when this is all over, I'll go home. I want to be with you guys again. 

I want to be with you.

If there were some other way that I can do this while I'm still there, in the Teigeki, I would undoubtedly do it right away. I really don't want to be away from all of you.

But I can't earn that right. Not until I defeat Tenkai and lift the curse. When I've had my retribution.

That's when I'll go home. Back to everybody. Back to you. That's when everything's going to be all right.

Sakura-kun, I'm glad that I've met you on that fateful day in Ueno. At first, I was pretty unsure if I could do it. Think about it, a single guy like me assigned to lead six girls! Even more, ACTRESSES! I was confused then, but when I saw you, I knew everything would be all right. You probably don't know it, but your cheerfulness gave me all the energy I needed to lead you all properly.

You were also some kind of beacon that enabled us to get out of our own personal darkness. Do you remember? It was through you that Iris was able to open up to us. She used to be so isolated, so quiet, but because of you, she was able to celebrate her dream birthday, and eventually, be an integral member of the team. You also helped me out in my own problems, showed me the way out of the darkness I was in. For that, I'm eternally grateful.

That's why, when I come back, I want you to meet me at Ueno Park. I'll send word of my arrival; so don't go rushing to wait for me. I don't want you to wait for me just yet. But if I do come home, and meet you there, we could continue where we left off, before Tenkai interrupted us. 

Wait for me, Sakura-kun. I'll come home soon enough, and we'll be together again, with the others. Until then, take care of things while I'm gone. Tell Maria that she would have to be the Taichou until my return.

I will defeat Tenkai, and I will come home.

Teikoku Kagekidan

Hanagumi

Ohgami Ichiro

* * *

The letter spanned two pages, all handwritten in smooth paper. Some parts of the paper were moist, which Sakura thought were probably Ohgami's tears. All kept in a small white envelope with her name on it, handed to her by Iris this morning.

She sat on a chair inside Ohgami's empty room. The desk was empty. There were no more files, no more sheets of paper that needed signing. All of them were kept in a small box tucked away in the corner of the room. His clothes cabinet was empty, with hangers dangling on the hooks without clothes to hold.

The person who used to reside in the room was also gone, and Sakura, who already folded the two sheets of paper and tucked it back into the envelope, could only look out the window, hoping for a sign of where he was.

That morning, before she read the letter, she was going to the courtyard of the Teigeki to do her morning exercises. She would usually sit down on the soft grass and meditate, her sword, Arataka, by her side. Then, when the first dewdrop or the first leaf that fell, she would unsheathe her sword and unerringly strike at it, shattering the dewdrop into smaller drops or slicing the leaf into two.

But she was halted when she opened the door of her room. Iris was there, and handed her an envelope. She left as soon as Sakura held the envelope, heading back to her room. She seemed sad.

Her name was on it, and Sakura identified the handwriting, which belonged to Ohgami. Almost immediately, dread struck her heart, as she ran towards his room, fearing the worst.

And her fears became true. He had left the Teigeki to pursue Tenkai. As the letter said, he would fulfill his responsibility. He was going to fight someone that the whole team barely defeated. There might be unforeseen dangers up ahead, and Sakura thought that Ohgami might be too concentrated on his own resolutions rather than his own safety. He might as well be running to enemy territory with his sword blindly thrusting into the air.

"Baka," she murmured, keeping the letter close, "You could have at least told ME. You could have at least trusted me…"

Her voice trailed off. It was hopeless. He was gone, and he left her behind.

"So, he left already," a voice said.

Sakura lifted her head and saw Yoneda at the doorway, with a slight smirk on his face.

He strode into the room, his hands in his pockets. "Sometimes, the boy could be so predictable."

"You…you knew, shihainin?"

He shook his head, taking a seat on his bed. "No, but I had a hunch that he'd pull something like this. You know him, trying to act as if the whole world was on his shoulders."

She shook her head. "He didn't understand. We were always there for him, but he blamed himself too much."

"But, it IS his responsibility. After all, he lost to Tenkai and allowed him to run free. Think about it, Sakura-kun. If YOU were responsible for releasing something that can destroy the world, wouldn't you feel like you have to atone for what you did? Alone? Ohgami-kun's fighting with his personal demons, along with the curse and eventually, Tenkai himself. He thinks that the only way to atone for his sins is to fight whatever he unleashed into the world with his own hands."

Sakura made no reply. Grief mixed with anxiety made her heart heavy, and she found it hard to speak. Yoneda perceived her silence as misunderstanding, so he reiterated what he was talking about.

"Let's say, you made a mistake in the play, and Sumire-kun starts blabbing about you wrecking the whole production and you were a pain in the neck. Not only that, your mistake caused the curtains to collapse, crashing down on the props, basically destroying everything."

Then he stopped to think. "Now wait a minute. That did happen. The first day you arrived."

Then he put on a cheerful face then said, "Well, anyway, you feel bad, right? So you try to fix everything. But you won't ask for help, because since you wrecked everything with your hands, you should fix everything with your hands. Logical, isn't it?"

She quietly nodded.

"That's the same way Ohgami-kun's thinking. But the only flaw that he has is that he hasn't forgiven himself."

She lifted her head, somehow feeling that Yoneda's discussion might lead to something.

"If you wrecked the play, and everyone forgives you for what you did, you should too. You think that by fixing everything would give you the right to forgive yourself, but the mere thought and intention that you want to make amends is enough.

"But Ohgami-kun won't. He'll probably continue to degrade himself, making him feel worse about himself; continually blaming himself for all the damage he's caused. But he fails to see that that's what Tenkai wants. The curse is already destroying him, and his constant degradation is only speeding up the process. He'll be an empty vessel even before he reaches Tenkai."

He brushed his chin thoughtfully, mentally praising his oratory expertise, and then looked at Sakura, who was listening to him intently. She was getting the answers she was looking for.

He continued, "That's why there should be someone to watch out for him. There should be someone that could pull him out of his hole whenever he's fallen deep enough. Someone should be there to make him feel good about himself, to tell him that everything will be all right."

He smiled at Sakura. That single look talked to Sakura, telling her what she could do. She gladly nodded to accept.

"But the question remains: Where could he be going? He could be anywhere."

That sank Sakura's spirit. She was hoping that his insight might give her his location.

"But let me tell you something. Whenever I have to go off to war, back in the days of the Teikoku Rikogun Taikouma Butai, I'd try to spend at least a day in a place that holds plenty of memories for me. I'd go to a place where I can really feel at peace. There's always uncertainty in war. You never know if you'll survive it or not. That's why whenever war comes with the Kouma, I'd go to that special place, clear my thoughts, and pray for a successful battle."

Then almost suddenly, Sakura abruptly stood up, sending the chair she was sitting on falling, then instantly bowed low, her hair drooping around her head. "Arigato gozaimas, shihainin. Please take care of things while we're gone."

Then, she bolted out the door.

Yoneda watched her leave with a smile on his old, wrinkled face. He sighed in contentment. He had taught his children well, and they had all grown up. They could take care of themselves now, except for one stubborn boy who still needed to learn a thing or two.

"Kazuma," he murmured, "Your daughter's grown up to be a fine woman. Guide her and protect her as you always have."

Then he added, "Protect the both of them."

* * *

"I can't believe it. I still went here."

Ohgami stood alone in the Ueno Park, on the ridge that had an enormous view of the sun-bathed Imperial Capital. A steel fence prevented anyone from accidentally falling down the steep cliff, and cherry blossom trees were abundant.

The trees were still being replanted. The fight with Tenkai caused plenty of destruction that spanned from the city to the park itself. Trees were burned down in the heat of the battle, and numerous trees were lost. The trees that were spared, however, retained their beautiful pink haze.

He was dressed in his usual clothes, plus a brown coat. Two suitcases, one larger than the other, were at his feet. Hidden in his coat were two katanas, thickly wrapped with cloth and bound with leather straps. In his pocket was a train ticket.

"I guess I couldn't avoid coming here," he murmured to himself, "I guess this place has a lot of good memories for me. This may be the last time I see this wonderful place."

He took a deep breath, exhaled, and then looked at the view of the city. "I'll come back here, someday. I don't know when, but I'll come home."

He clasped his hands together in prayer. He murmured softly, "Help me have a safe journey, and while I'm away, protect the Hanagumi."

Ohgami took a look at his watch. It was thirty minutes to twelve o' clock. His train was scheduled to leave at noon, and he still had much walking to do.

So, picking up his suitcases, he briskly walked away from the Capital, heading for the train station.

His mind was set now. There was no turning back.

But he stopped, and over his shoulder, took another look at the city he was going to leave behind. Then, he couldn't help but wonder if Sakura had already gotten the letter from Iris. All sorts of thoughts were entering his mind, like how did she take the news, or how was she feeling now. 

But he wouldn't know the answers now. Sakura was far away, back in the Teigeki, and he was here, in Ueno. He wasn't going back to the Teigeki until he finished his job, so the only way that he would know was that if Sakura would come here right now.

He chuckled to himself, discarding the thought. She wouldn't do that.

He picked up his pace. But the thought lingered in his mind, and it gave him some kind of amusement. He could already imagine her running towards him, out of breath, bringing a suitcase so rapidly packed that some clothes were sticking out. 

In the depth of his thinking, he could even hear his name being called by Sakura. His thoughts were beginning to be more amusing by the minute.

"…saaaan…."

He kept walking on, keeping his thought to himself, chuckling.

"Ohgami-saaaaan…."

It was getting louder. He was thinking about it too much. He shook his head.

"Ohgami-saaaan!"

His imagination was going haywire. It was as if she WAS here, screaming his name.

"OHGAMI-SAAAAN!!!!"

The hairs at the back of his neck rose at an end. Chills shot up his spine. All of a sudden, his feet were rooted to the ground.

He couldn't believe it, but the fact remained that he WAS hearing his name being called.

Slowly, unreadily, he turned around.

And there she was. Panting, out of breath, bringing with her a suitcase so rapidly packed that some clothes were sticking out, all fit the description of what he was thinking about. 

He blinked his eyes several times. This wasn't real.

But she was there, catching her breath, a smile on her face, glad that she was able to catch up.

All he could manage was, "Sa-Sa-Sa-Sa…."

"Yokkata…I made it. I thought you already left…whew," she said with glee in her face, wiping the sweat from her brow with a handkerchief.

Then the word came out. "Sakura-kun?!"

Then the sentence. "What the heck are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you," she replied, in between gasps.

This was unbelievable. "How did you know I was here?"

She shrugged, smiling. "Lucky guess."

He just stared at her, confused. But almost immediately, he shook his head, shaking off the puzzlement in his brain. With a serious tone, he asked, "Did you read my letter?" 

She nodded, standing upright and dusting her clothes.

"Then if you did," Ohgami continued, "You'd know that I wanted to do what I have to do alone."

"Ohgami-san..." she started, but Ohgami cut her off.

"Don't you understand? I want to defeat Tenkai so that my curse would be lifted! I have to defeat him because it's my responsibility. I allowed his freedom. I allowed his spree of destruction. If I hadn't succumbed to him, then none of all this chaos and carnage would have happened.

"I won't be able to forgive myself if you get involved! Have you any idea what could happen? You could get hurt, or worse, killed! I'm only doing this, going off alone, because I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

He clenched his fists. "This is my fault. I didn't want this to happen, but because of me, it did. I should be the one to set things right, regardless of what could happen to me."

He then looked at Sakura, who just watched him with caring eyes. Slightly startled, he then continued, "You knew what I wanted when you read that letter. You knew that I wanted to finish this alone. I wanted you to be safe. That's all!"

"I know that," Sakura answered, "I read you letter, reread it a couple of times to see if I misunderstood anything. I even have it here with me."

He swiped his hand in the air, expressing his exasperation over the matter. "Then, why, Sakura-kun? Why are you here? Why did you disregard what I wrote? Why do you want to come with me?"

Then, with a sincere smile and a voice that contained true honesty, she replied, "Because I want to come with you."

He gasped, hearing her words, letting them sink into his mind. He blinked his eyes. He didn't understand.

Sakura slowly inched her way towards him, speaking as she went along. "I'm coming with you for the same reasons you wanted me to stay behind. I want you to be safe. I'll never be sure of that unless I come with you, to help you do your task.

"Also, I want to be there for you, in case you need help. I know that even now, you're still fighting with your inner demons. You constantly batter yourself, blaming over what's happened."

She was near him now. She placed her hand on his cheek. She looked deep into his eyes, seemingly penetrating past the orbs and into his soul.

"I want to be there to make sure that you can still get up when you fall down. I want to be there so that when you fall down into a dark pit of your own despair, I can pull you back up.

"I want to be there because I don't want you to lose even before you fight with Tenkai."

Ohgami's hard resolution melted when Sakura spoke those words to him. He wanted to do this on his own, feeling that it was only right that he should be the one to atone for all his past mistakes. He left important people behind because he didn't want them to get hurt in his own personal struggles.

It never came to him that there was one girl there who wanted to be with him, who didn't mind getting hurt, as long as she would be there to help him. She didn't the mind the consequences; she didn't look at the dangers of his journey. All that she wanted was that she would be there for him. No more, no less.

Ohgami smiled, an honest, truly happy smile. "I guess, no matter how I try to convince you to stay, you wouldn't budge, wouldn't you?"

She smiled too. "Mochiron!"

He took her hand from his cheek and just held it tight in his hand. Ohgami looked into her sincere eyes, reading her readiness for whatever the future might have in store for them.

With all the enthusiasm that he could muster, he said out loud, "Ikuze, Sakura-kun!"

She replied, matching his eagerness, "Hai, Ohgami-san!"

They ran off, hand in hand, heading for the train station.

Ohgami was smiling. This was better than he had hoped. He had Sakura with him, and while it seemed so difficult and incomprehensible at the beginning, when he felt her touch and heard her voice, everything seemed to be going all right.

They said good-bye to the Imperial Capital, boarding the train (Ohgami had to find a way to buy a last-minute ticket for Sakura. It cost him a lot of money, buying one from a scalper, but it was well worth it). They said good-bye to the people they would leave behind, promising them they would come back triumphant.

And now, with a lighter heart, Ohgami mused that his journey to redeem himself now actually had a ray of hope guiding him. He smiled. Everything now seemed to be going on a right pace, and he now had hope that he would do all right. With Sakura at his side, nothing seemed to be impossible now.

* * *


	14. Epilogue

* * *

EPILOGUE

* * *

"They're gone."

Iris stood in the open doorway of Ohgami's empty room. Sunlight poured into the room through the windows, and the small wisps of dust were visible in the light.

A minute ago, she watched Sakura bolt to her room, then a few minutes later, zoom out with an untidy suitcase. She probably packed so fast, some clothes stuck out in the edges. As always, she brought with her Arataka, tightly bound in cloth, strapped together by rope.

She almost missed Iris as she ran, passing her by. She stopped a few steps after she passed her, turning on her heel. Sakura then said, "Iris, please take care of yourself while we're gone."

Already, she was already using "we're." She was already confident that Iris' Onii-chan would permit Sakura to go with him.

But she never doubted her. Her feelings for him were strong, the young French girl could tell. She remembered what she said to her while they hid from Tenkai's wrath. That was proof enough that Sakura would probably go to the ends of the Earth if needed.

She smiled, as she sat in her room, on her bed, Jean-Paul sitting across her, staring at her with his button eyes and a permanent smile. She picked the toy up and hugged it tight, feeling the soft brown fur seemingly caress her, embracing her.

Iris felt oddly fine, despite the fact that Ohgami and Sakura had left. She knew, somehow, that they would be fine, and they would eventually come home. She didn't need any psychic powers to determine that. She had strength of heart, and it told her to believe in their return.

"Ganbatte, Sakura, Onii-chan," she murmured.

* * *

"They're gone."

Yoneda sat in his room, treating himself to a healthy dose of morning saké. He was smiling. It wasn't a smile that drunken old men show when they drank themselves to a terrible hangover, the type that made them sing odd songs about usually everything. Rather, it was a smile of confidence, the kind that told of inner peace and contentment.

"But they're good kids. They'll be okay. They'll be back soon," he muttered to himself.

Kayama was there, in the shadows, looking at the old man with an amused look on his face. Not only did the Taichou of the Tsukigumi find out that the old man had so much faith in the two, but also Kayama realized that Yoneda was really a raving drunkard. Not that it mattered, though, but Kayama made a mental note of it.

"Kayama," Yoneda said, who was starting to get a little tinge of red around his cheekbones, "Do me a favor and look after them, will you?"

Kayama then said, "I thought you said they'll be okay?"

He shrugged his shoulders, replying, "I said that? I think I didn't. Now obey your commander and find out where they're headed. Ohgami-kun bought a ticket so stealthily, he makes the Tsukigumi look like exhibitionists."

A tinge of blue appeared in Kayama's face. The thought of male ninja exhibitionists, wearing only a cowl, jumping from building to building was unnerving.

"…Yokai," he muttered. "We already took the initiative. We know where the train's headed."

Yoneda nodded. "Well, wherever it is, go there."

* * *

"Oh yeah, Ohgami-san, that reminds me."

Sakura was munching on ebi tempura when something came up within her head. Ohgami, eating too at the time, nodded to urge her to continue.

"I know that I said that I'd go with you to whatever place you planned to go to, but you haven't told me where we're actually going."

Ohgami blinked. She was right. He hadn't told her yet.

Outside, the capital zoomed past by, seemingly flooded by a sudden blast of lush grasslands and plains. Rice fields could also be seen, and some farmers tending to them. The sun was beaming down radiantly, though huge clouds were forming.

He set down the tekka maki and looked out the train's window. "That's the other reason why I didn't want you to come, INITIALLY," he quickly added, seeing Sakura grimace, "because if I did, you'd be compelled to go even if I actually wanted you to go, WHICH I do now," he quickly added again.

Sakura was puzzled. "Then, where are we going?"

He sighed. "Sakura-kun…we're going to a place where spiritual energy is strong, where the people were born into an environment protected from the darkness of the Kouma. There, spiritual powers were strong, growing at a fast rate, unhindered by external forces." 

He stopped for a while, hesitating to complete what he spoke. Seeing Sakura's desire to learn more, he said, "The land of the Haja No Chikara."

She pieced together what Ohgami told her, and she gasped, not believing what was being told to her. "Iya...Ohgami-san, you aren't serious!"

Ohgami sadly nodded, and Sakura knew that he was only telling her the honest truth.

"I am," Ohgami said, then looked back out the window.

Thunder rumbled. It began to rain.

"We're going to Sendai."

* * *

TSUZUKU...

  
  


DISCLAIMER - "Sakura Taisen" is a trademark of Sega and Red. Sakura Shinguji, Ohgami Ichiro, Tenkai are characters based on the said title. But the plot of this fanfiction, along with the events and scenarios stated here, belongs to me, Mookamori, so there!

Thanks to **Dementedchris** for giving me advice on how to do disclaimers, considering that this is my first fic EVER, though I completely disregarded her advice, because she told me to put it up front, but I lost my HTML copy of Chapter One, so might as well put it here.

Thanks to **all the readers** who wrote a review and for the time you took to put up with my late updates. Gomen!

Thanks also go to **The Online English To Japanese To English Dictionary** for all the Japanese words I looked up.

Thanks also go to **Sega and Red** for creating Sakura Taisen.

Most of all, thank you to the **Big Guy Up Above** for inspiration.

As a final note, I'd like to thank myself, for having such great talent. MUUUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! No shame!

  
  


**Thanks again for reading and MABUHAY!!!**


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